Then again, given what has transpired in quarterback Shaun King's career over the past few seasons, who could blame him?

Just two years ago, King was the Buccaneers' starter, and led Tampa Bay to a 10-6 record and wild-card berth. The season ended with a first-round loss at Philadelphia. The previous year, in '99, King started the final five games of the season and two postseason contests, including a bitter 11-6 defeat to the St. Louis Rams in a controversial finish to the NFC championship game.

	King

But now this week, with Tampa Bay having finally shed the underachiever label that has hounded the Bucs the past half-decade or so, King is listed as the No. 3 quarterback, behind Brad Johnson and Rob Johnson. Instead of being the guy who was center stage, he spent the annual "Media Day" well off in the wings, hardly the hot interview.

"I have been a starter in this league," King said, "and a pretty good one, I think. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled for this franchise, for everything it has been through. This is a great moment. But I'd be lying if I was to stand here and pretend I didn't want to be a bigger part of all this."

Days away from Super Bowl XXXVII, a game in which his responsibility probably will be clipboard duty, King is also just a month from unrestricted free agency. And therein lies his best opportunity to regain starter's status and perhaps return for a Super Bowl encore.

He doesn't figure to play Sunday, and will spend most of this week running the "scout" team, doing his best impersonation of Rich Gannon. Come July, whether it is in Tampa or some other NFL precinct, he would prefer to do an even better Shaun King impression.

King, 25, is focusing this week on preparation for the Super Bowl, but not too long after the scoreboard clock shows all zeroes, he will start to ponder his long-term future. The four-year veteran, who earned a $450,000 salary this year in the final season of his original contract, emphasized Tuesday that he has not ruled out a return to the Bucs in 2003.

But the reality is that Brad Johnson is under contract for four more years, has a solid grip on the starting job, and will go to camp unchallenged for the top spot on the depth chart. There is talk that coach Jon Gruden will attempt to convince King to stick around, pitching him on the idea that Johnson, who will be 35 at the outset of next season, is entering his football dotage.

That is likely, however, to be a tough sell.

Rather than pout his way through the week, King has instead looked upon the Super Bowl through bifocals. He sees the short-term benefits of maybe getting a ring and the long-term ramifications it might mean for him.

	“	My plan is to sit down with (agent Eugene Parker) not too long after the end of the season and develop a very analytical approach. It will include a lot of elements -- opportunity, geography, money, probably a few more -- but it will be complete and well thought-out, believe me. ”
		— Bucs QB Shaun King

Performing his due diligence, to borrow a legal term, King has peeked at the rosters of several teams and concluded that there are starting opportunities out there. The former Tulane standout, who engineered the Green Wave to an unbeaten season as a senior, probably will pursue one of them.

"My plan is to sit down with (agent Eugene Parker) not too long after the end of the season and develop a very analytical approach," King said. "It will include a lot of elements -- opportunity, geography, money, probably a few more -- but it will be complete and well thought out, believe me. There have been times I've thought about all those things but, for now, the biggest thing for me is do whatever I can to help this team in this situation."

King appeared in just three games in 2002, threw 27 passes and completed 10 of them for 80 yards, with no touchdowns and an interception. He started the Dec. 23 game against Pittsburgh on a Monday night, but struggled, with just nine completions in 26 attempts before being yanked.

That poor outing may have turned off some franchises, but there still will be interest in King in free agency, because you can't overlook his 14-8 record as a starter. Or the fact he essentially stewarded the Bucs to playoff berths in two consecutive years.

Personnel directors and general managers from three teams who figure to be in the market for a veteran quarterback this spring told ESPN.com in the last week that King is a player they will consider in free agency. Given his body of work, they could do worse, they may find out.

"I know I can play, if not here, then somewhere," King said. "It'll work out for me. I'm really confident of that."

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.