PaCkFan_n_MD
03-03-2007, 12:24 PM
Sorry if posted already
By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com
Just one day after being jilted by quarterback Jake Plummer, who mulled retirement rather than relocate in a trade, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have recovered, reaching a Saturday agreement with unrestricted free agent Jeff Garcia on a deal that could allow the veteran to again challenge for a starting job in the league.
While terms were not yet available, ESPN.com's John Clayton reported the deal was believed to be for about $5 million a year and would be announced at a news conference Saturday at 1 p.m. ET in Tampa.
Garcia quickly became the Bucs' primary target on Friday after Plummer, who has played the past four seasons in Denver but lost his job to rookie Jay Cutler last year, decided that he did not want to join the Bucs. Tampa Bay would have surrendered a fourth-round draft pick to the Broncos under terms of the preliminary trade agreement.
Tampa Bay officials, including coach Jon Gruden, attempted on Friday to persuade Plummer to reconsider and accept the trade, but he held firm. And so the Bucs, convinced that they could not resurrect the deal for Plummer and still seeking a veteran quarterback to compete with Chris Simms for the starting job, turned their attentions to Garcia.
Garcia was also sought by several other teams, including Denver and the Oakland Raiders.
The opportunity in Tampa Bay is a good one for Garcia, because of Gruden's feelings for him, and the fact the Bucs are not yet ready to hand Simms the No. 1 job. Simms is coming off a season in which he underwent a splenectomy, missed much of the campaign, and has been forced to spend months in rehabilitation.
Plus, Gruden is a coach who simply loves to collect quarterbacks and always feels that his depth chart is never stocked well enough. Garcia has played in the past in offenses that are similar to the design Gruden uses, so the fit should be a solid one for all parties involved.
One reason Plummer indicated he may retire was because he did not want to be involved in another quarterback controversy. Garcia, on the other hand, has traditionally welcomed competition and should make things interesting in training camp.
Last week, the Philadelphia Eagles closed the door on Garcia's return there when they signed A.J. Feeley to a three-year contract extension. The move was somewhat surprising, given that Garcia posted a 5-1 record and led the Eagles to a playoff berth after replacing the injured Donovan McNabb.
Under the right circumstances, Philadelphia probably would have welcomed Garcia back for another season, but only on its conditions and on its timetable. His reluctance to re-sign with the Eagles before the outset of free agency solidified the desires of some within the organization to pursue Feeley instead, and to essentially make him the No. 2 quarterback on the depth chart.
All along, though, Garcia and agent Steve Baker knew they would have alternatives beyond the Eagles, and the Plummer situation simply created another option for them.
"Jeff feels he has multiple good options, but the opportunity to play for Jon Gruden in Tampa is something that really excites him," Baker said on Friday afternoon. "Jon is a coach who Jeff believes has the ability to bring out the best in him. In fact, he feels that by playing for Jon, he has a very good chance of duplicating the success he had with the Eagles in Philadelphia last year."
A three-time Pro Bowl performer, but a quarterback nomad since 2003, his final season with the San Francisco 49ers, Garcia is joining his fourth different franchise in four seasons.
In 99 games, including 92 starts, Garcia has completed 1,811 of 2,972 passes for 20,385 yards, with 136 touchdown passes and 73 interceptions, for an efficiency rating of 86.4. He has thrown for more than 2,500 yards five times in his career.
Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com. ESPN.com senior writer John Clayton contributed to this report.
By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com
Just one day after being jilted by quarterback Jake Plummer, who mulled retirement rather than relocate in a trade, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have recovered, reaching a Saturday agreement with unrestricted free agent Jeff Garcia on a deal that could allow the veteran to again challenge for a starting job in the league.
While terms were not yet available, ESPN.com's John Clayton reported the deal was believed to be for about $5 million a year and would be announced at a news conference Saturday at 1 p.m. ET in Tampa.
Garcia quickly became the Bucs' primary target on Friday after Plummer, who has played the past four seasons in Denver but lost his job to rookie Jay Cutler last year, decided that he did not want to join the Bucs. Tampa Bay would have surrendered a fourth-round draft pick to the Broncos under terms of the preliminary trade agreement.
Tampa Bay officials, including coach Jon Gruden, attempted on Friday to persuade Plummer to reconsider and accept the trade, but he held firm. And so the Bucs, convinced that they could not resurrect the deal for Plummer and still seeking a veteran quarterback to compete with Chris Simms for the starting job, turned their attentions to Garcia.
Garcia was also sought by several other teams, including Denver and the Oakland Raiders.
The opportunity in Tampa Bay is a good one for Garcia, because of Gruden's feelings for him, and the fact the Bucs are not yet ready to hand Simms the No. 1 job. Simms is coming off a season in which he underwent a splenectomy, missed much of the campaign, and has been forced to spend months in rehabilitation.
Plus, Gruden is a coach who simply loves to collect quarterbacks and always feels that his depth chart is never stocked well enough. Garcia has played in the past in offenses that are similar to the design Gruden uses, so the fit should be a solid one for all parties involved.
One reason Plummer indicated he may retire was because he did not want to be involved in another quarterback controversy. Garcia, on the other hand, has traditionally welcomed competition and should make things interesting in training camp.
Last week, the Philadelphia Eagles closed the door on Garcia's return there when they signed A.J. Feeley to a three-year contract extension. The move was somewhat surprising, given that Garcia posted a 5-1 record and led the Eagles to a playoff berth after replacing the injured Donovan McNabb.
Under the right circumstances, Philadelphia probably would have welcomed Garcia back for another season, but only on its conditions and on its timetable. His reluctance to re-sign with the Eagles before the outset of free agency solidified the desires of some within the organization to pursue Feeley instead, and to essentially make him the No. 2 quarterback on the depth chart.
All along, though, Garcia and agent Steve Baker knew they would have alternatives beyond the Eagles, and the Plummer situation simply created another option for them.
"Jeff feels he has multiple good options, but the opportunity to play for Jon Gruden in Tampa is something that really excites him," Baker said on Friday afternoon. "Jon is a coach who Jeff believes has the ability to bring out the best in him. In fact, he feels that by playing for Jon, he has a very good chance of duplicating the success he had with the Eagles in Philadelphia last year."
A three-time Pro Bowl performer, but a quarterback nomad since 2003, his final season with the San Francisco 49ers, Garcia is joining his fourth different franchise in four seasons.
In 99 games, including 92 starts, Garcia has completed 1,811 of 2,972 passes for 20,385 yards, with 136 touchdown passes and 73 interceptions, for an efficiency rating of 86.4. He has thrown for more than 2,500 yards five times in his career.
Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com. ESPN.com senior writer John Clayton contributed to this report.