Matt Bryant's sore leg comes at a very bad time for the Bucs kicker.

When a battle for a starting position is a near dead heat, as some suggest is the case between veteran kicker Matt Bryant and newcomer Mike (Not Ted) Nugent, any time off the field can be disastrous.

That may be the case for Bryant who sat out yesterday’s workout with a sore leg, so reports Anwar Richardson of the Tampa Tribune.

Bryant and Mike Nugent are battling for the place kicking job during training camp. They have been alternating kicking days during practice, so Tuesday would have been Nugent’s day to kick anyway.

“I’m OK. We’re just trying to take care of my leg a little bit,” Bryant said. “I worked out the other day on my leg and it got kind of tired, so obviously I want to be 100 percent whenever I do kick.”

Joe didn’t see a need to bring in Nugent, but Joe doesn’t have an issue with pushing anyone on a team. Joe thinks the world of Bryant and would hate to see him go. But if Nugent — who comes somewhat cheaply — outshines Bryant, hey, to the victor goes the spoils.