Garcia dismayed by status of contract talks

Quarterback Jeff Garcia has long been disappointed by the Bucs' apparent unwillingness to renegotiate his contract.

Today, in making his first comments on the matter in several weeks, Garcia was practically fuming over the lack of progress in contract talks with the Bucs while implying he might resort to measures that will pressure the club to address his deal.

"This is a physical game and you want players to go out and give everything they have and lay their bodies on the line, lay their hearts on the line," Garcia said, in an apparent message to team management. "Well, we want you to lay something on the line."

Garcia, 38, said he might not continue to attend voluntary offseason practices, though he was present for today's workout. He stopped short of saying the contract dispute would affect his reporting to training camp or next month's mandatory mini-camp, but he ruled nothing out. Garcia is entering the final year of a two-year contract and will make a base salary of $2-million, which he considers a bargain for a quarterback coming off a Pro Bowl season.

He also made light of other players' struggles to address their contracts, namely running back Earnest Graham, who Garcia indicated is not a priority of management. Graham was not present and has been absent for each of the team's four organized team activity days since last month.

As for Garcia's presence, don't count on him being around much longer.

"There might be a time when I have to stand up," he said. "I hate to do that to jeopardize my teammates because they're out here and I don't want to let them down in any sort of way. But i think at some point, you just want to see the respect (from) up top given."

We'll have more on this story throughout the day, so check back soon.

Comments

[DR]

Stroudsux, when I see Caddy, I see two words, Ki-Jana Carter. A high pick that needs to do a lot to prove his worth. It hasn't yet. Well, I guess 4 games were good enough for some but not for me.

[NR4]

I can't believe I hear fans that have no problem paying $50- $100 a game for tickets and can't see the merit in keeping the starting QB happy with say another $ million a year when the team is like 25 million under the salary cap? No, better to give a washed up Warrick Dunn and his 3.5 YPC average about 6 million?! Puh-lease!

Just add the 2 million dollar bonus to his salary he missed out on last year because they rested him the last 2 games. That's probably all thats all he wants!

[Jim McIntosh]

Worry about the office… not player requests for more $$

Upon his arrival here, Gruden was served up with a winning combination and has since then disbanded and dismantled it to the point of hit & miss so-so performance… and has all but ignored defensive re-enforcement, and made only futile stabs at volatile offensive selections throughout that time

Gruden is no coach. Coaches improve a player’s level of play… that ain’t happening on offense… that’s why he chooses vets over rookies everytime. Even those whose skills are near gone.

None of the top draft picks have showed consistency, or improvement, ala Clayton, Simms, Williams, D White, or even A. Smith. Simms being the most notable as highly touted a QB coach Gruden is heralded to be routinely.

Let the players ask, and get… especially Garcia & Graham… who’s gonna do better that’s on the current