Bucs sign rookie DT Miller, release QB Griese

The Bucs announced Monday that defensive tackle Roy Miller, a third-round pick from Texas, has signed a four-year contract, leaving first-rounder Josh Freeman as the last unsigned draft pick in this year's class.

The four years is standard for any rookies drafted after the first round, and Miller's deal includes a signing bonus of $770,000. His base salary will be the NFL minimum each season, which works out to $2.52 million over four years.

The team also announced that veteran quarterback Brian Griese, left on the outside looking in at what seems to be a three-way battle for the Bucs' starting job, has been released. The team now has Freeman and veterans Luke McCown and Byron Leftwich, along with second-year pro Josh Johnson.

The Bucs acquired Griese for a second stint in Tampa Bay in March 2008, sending a 2009 sixth-round draft pick to the Bears for him. Griese led the Bucs to three wins in September, but was knocked out of his fourth start at Denver with an elbow injury and made only one start the rest of the season. The Bucs have actively overhauled their quarterback position, dropping the only two quarterbacks (Griese and Jeff Garcia) who completed passes for the team last season.

Here's a story on Roy Miller written by the Times' Stephen Holder back in April, shortly after the draft.

As far as the signing bonus, for comparison, last year's No. 81 pick, LSU receiver Early Doucet, got a reported $600,000 bonus from Arizona, but that was part of a three-year contract, which allows him to potentially leave as a restricted free agent after the third season. The $770,000 signing bonus is larger, but counts less against the salary cap than Doucet's bonus because it is spread over four seasons instead of three.

-- Former Bucs coach Jon Gruden was in attendance at USF's Sling & Shoot football camp this weekend, watching his son Deuce play for Carrollwood Day School's team there. Deuce caught the game-winning two-point conversion in the championships of the small-school division.

"(Coach Gruden) said he was more nervous than he was in the Super Bowl, because then he had some control over what happened," said USF offensive coordinator Mike Canales, who coordinated the camp.

-- Greg Auman, Times staff writer

Comments

[big007hed]

Glad to hear Miller is signed, I think/hope he will do well and play with a chip on his shoulder!!!

[mm]

Can we please let this be Griese's LAST stint in pewter & red?

[GoBucs]

Good for you Roy. Miller is a good team guy that just wants to improve and improve on his game. This is a great system for Miller to play in, he will make good push and be a great rotation guy. His legs never stop moving. And I hope one day he becomes that sack machine like Sapp. But alls he needs to make is push and our DEs should do the rest.

[Cinemike]

Well thats 1 answered prayer... Goodbye Griese!!!

[BucFandango]

Wow, League Minimum. Now there's a surprise.

[Drew]

I've been standing on the corner with a sign stating I'll play Linebacker for food.

The Glazers stopped the other day and asked me if I was serious about playing for just the franks.

Naturally, my response was HELL YES!

They even indicated an incentive clause for the buns, mustard, catsup, onions and relish if I met and/or exceeded specific goals.

[Kurt]

I think this was more Griese's doing. It's not like he's been around the locker room lately. He wanted out once he saw the unravelling process of our football team months ago. Too bad though; he does have the highest winning percentage of any buc ever, not to mention he may be the only buc with a positive overall winning percentage. Oh well, I'd rather have a lucky team than a good one right?

[OAR]

Drew, Knowing the Glazers, I bet they're not even all beef franks.

[Brandon]

Kurt:

There you go making crap up about your horrible excuse for a QB/boyfriend. Griese MIGHT have the only positive win % of any Buc QB? What about Jeff Garcia, Brad Johnson and Shaun King... Trent Dilfer may have even have had a positive win %.

This was Griese's doing though because if what he had done in a Buc uni hadn't been so bad then he'd still be here. Griese's record as a starter always had much more to do with the team than him, the Bucs won games despite of Griese. Good riddance!

[OAR]

Wow, who would have thought S King, would have that winning percentage/record top spot with 14-8(63%)? That is definitely the defense that helped with his record though. Dilfer 38-38(50%), Garcia 14-10(58%), B Johnson 26-23(57%, funny how he does have that certain something on his finger, but so does S King), and Griese 12-9(57%).

[OAR]

oops B Johnson 53% not 57%

[Drew]

Oar, now that I reflect on it, it did have a funny taste. Tasted(?) a lot like dry Turkey. Now I'm definitely holding out for a better contract.

[Kurt]

Ahh Brandon, you're still mad at me for b!tchslapping you so long ago. Fact is, his record speaks for itself, especially as a Buc. And if you really believe the small hand King (who doesn't have enough games under his belt to really be discussed here) or Trent Dilfer is better than Griese, I imagine you're not winning many intellectual votes. So Griese, Garcia and Johnson have nearly identical winning percentages - what's your point? It's not like I made some definitive statement about how great Griese is and I didn't make anything up. The word "maybe" means that it is possible, not that is factual and definite moron. Now, move along with the remaining cattle and stop displaying your frustration for being slapped around so muse-fully and having so little to work with.