Tampa Bay free safety Cody Grimm has successfully rehabbed a broken leg that he suffered in Tampa Bay's 17-10 loss at Baltimore and is looking to keep his starting job in training camp, which begins at One Buccaneer Place on Friday. Unlike Bucs wide receiver Arrelious Benn, who passed his physical on Tuesday morning, Grimm has yet to take his and will do so on Thursday.

“I’m not exactly sure what all they want me to do, but my leg feels pretty good,’’ Grimm said. “ At the same time, a lot of things go into it so it’s not my choice. I have to see what the doctor say and take it from there.”

Grimm, a seventh-round pick in 2010, was thrust into the starting lineup as a rookie after starting free safety Tanard Jackson was suspended for the season after Week 2. After a shaky start against Pittsburgh in which he gave up a long touchdown pass to wide receiver Mike Wallace, Grimm rebounded and had a stellar rookie campaign, finishing with 61 tackles, two interceptions and two pass breakups despite missing the final five games of the season. In Tampa Bay's win at Cincinnati in Week 5, Grimm scored his first NFL touchdown by picking off Carson Palmer and returning it for a key score in the Bucs' come-from-behind win.

“I think I had a pretty successful season in the games I started at least,’’ Grimm said. “To get hurt, it stinks but I've got to realize it is part of the game and it happens to a lot of people. From being around the game my whole life I know this is going to happen and you just have to deal with it. So I have to come back, work hard during camp and hopefully pick up where I left off.’’

Grimm, who will recieve competition in training camp from veteran Corey Lynch and fifth-round draft pick Ahmad Black among others, said that he doesn't think the Bucs missed too much during the NFL lockout this offseason, which forced teams to cancel all OTAs (organized team activities) and mini-camps.

“To tell you the truth, during those mini-camps and OTAs it’s not like you are putting in the whole defense,’’ Grimm said. “It usually takes one or two preseason games, or the second or third preseason game when you actually install a good bit of the defense.

“I’d say hitting and tackling might be a little sloppy at first but I think everyone will be in good shape. When there is no football and a lockout going on you don’t really have much to do so it’s not hard to go get a good workout in.’’

The son of Hall of Fame guard and Arizona offensive coordinator Russ Grimm said that the Bucs defense, which got on a roll over the last two months of the season, should be able to maintain momentum heading into 2011. 

“It’s going to be a little tougher for the younger guys, that’s what I feel most,’’ Grimm said. “As far as our team the good thing is we have the majority of our coaches back and our quarterback back and a bunch of our starters back so I don’t think it will affect us as bad as some of the teams with rookie quarterbacks or new coaches and stuff like that.’’

Mark Cook contributed to this report