Rick Stroud of the St. Petersburg Times report that the Dallas Cowboys are, and have been, interested in Bucs quarterback Chris Simms.

Simms supposedly was the odd man out in Tampa after missing most of 2006 due to a splenectomy and after missing all of 2007 due to a slow recovery of his ability to throw a football.  The decision of the Bucs not to cut Simms loose makes sense in light of the apparent fact that the Cowboys have been trying to pry him away.

The Buccaneers reportedly want a third-round or a fourth-round pick, which seems to be on the high side given that Simms was a third-rounder when drafted in 2003 and that he clearly doesn’t fit within the team’s plans.

Simms got some reps early in camp, but has been generally on ice since starter Jeff Garcia returned from an excused absence.  Beyond Simms and Garcia, the Bucs have Brian Griese, Luke McCown, and Josh Johnson.

In Dallas, Simms would be a much younger No. 2 option than Brad Johnson, who turns 63 40 in September.