Still attempting to turn a first-round bust into a usable body, the Arizona Cardinals continue to shop tailback Thomas Jones in trade discussions, most recently speaking with Tampa Bay Bucs officials about a possible deal.

	Jones

Cardinals vice president Rod Graves confirmed talks with the Bucs, and also with the New Orleans Saints. Graves, though, acknowledged that a trade is not imminent.

The seventh overall player chosen in the 2000 draft, Jones has been a major disappointment, rushing for just 1,264 yards in three seasons.

The Cardinals attempted to deal Jones before and during the NFL draft six weeks ago, but found no proposals to their satisfaction and discontinued talks for a while.

But with training camp opening next month, and Emmitt Smith and Marcel Shipp already established as the top two tailbacks on the depth charts, trade efforts have resumed.

If there is no deal, Jones will be released, the Cardinals have acknowledged.

"But we will try to exhaust all possibilities before we let him go," Graves said.

Graves has been seeking a veteran player -- not a draft choice -- in return for Jones, and insists the club will release Jones rather than deal him for a low-round draft choice. Arizona is believed to be seeking a defensive lineman or a defensive back in a straight-up deal.

The Saints recently offered a veteran offensive lineman for Jones, but the Cardinals did not bite on that proposal.

Talks with the Bucs, initiated by Graves, were prompted by the possibility that the Super Bowl champions could lose starting tailback Michael Pittman -- ironically a former starter for the Cardinals -- to league sanctions or jail time. Pittman faces possible revocation of an earlier probation because of a recent incident in which he allegedly rammed the vehicle of his wife.

He was indicted Thursday on two counts of aggravated assault because of the incident, and both counts carry a mandatory five-year sentence if found guilty. Tampa Bay has some interest in Jones but, like other teams leaguewide, may be willing to wait until the Cardinals simply decide to release him.

Jones, 24, was the second tailback chosen in the 2000 draft but has failed to live up to his lofty expectations. He entered each of the last three seasons as the starter and could not hold onto the job. The former University of Virginia star finished the 2002 on the injured reserve list with a broken hand.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.