TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

White Expects To Sign

ADVERTISEMENT

By ANWAR S. RICHARDSON and IRA KAUFMAN

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 26, 2008

CELEBRATION - Bucs DE Greg White is expected to sign with the team today after missing the first day of training camp.

White had been disgruntled about Tampa Bay's contract offer and did not report with his teammates Friday, but agent Jack Bechta expects the differences to be settled soon.

"Greg is not there at training camp but will probably be there today and sign his tender," Bechta said via e-mail to The Tampa Tribune late Friday evening.

White is an exclusive-rights free agent, meaning Tampa Bay is the only team that can negotiate with him. The Bucs offered White a contract of $370,000 in February, a slight improvement on the $285,000 base salary he earned last season, when he recorded a team-high eight sacks and led Tampa Bay with seven forced fumbles.

However, White's only options were to sign Tampa Bay's tender or not play in the NFL this season. He likely will play this season in hopes of having another good year and renegotiating next year.

"I haven't seen Greg yet, and again, he's an exclusive-rights free agent, which I think we're the only ones who can exclusively talk to him," Bucs coach Jon Gruden said. "So hopefully, exclusively, we're doing that right now."

Big Or Small Bills, Sir?

Tampa Bay continued its annual tradition of signing its rookies right before training camp by finalizing three remaining contracts.

CB Aqib Talib (first round), WR Dexter Jackson (second round) and QB Josh Johnson (fifth round) signed before players were required to report at 4 p.m. Talib signed a five-year, $14 million deal, including $8.2 million in guaranteed money, according to the NFL Network.

Since becoming Bucs general manager in 2004, Bruce Allen has never had a rookie holdout.

Don't Unpack Those Bags

Tampa Bay released WR Taye Biddle, LB Teddy Lehman and waived injured RB Cory Boyd, who failed a physical because of knee problems. If Boyd clears waivers, he will be placed on Tampa Bay's injured-reserve list.

The Bucs also placed RB Cadillac Williams and OL Luke Petitgout on the active physically unable to perform list, meaning they can participate in practice. That move was necessary if Tampa Bay wanted to place both players on the reserved PUP list before the regular season.

Capital Gaines

The Bucs are seeking a more consistent pass rush up front, and they think second-year DE Gaines Adams is ready to oblige.

"Your biggest improvement in this league is from Year 1 to Year 2," said veteran DL Kevin Carter, serving as a mentor to the fourth player selected in the 2007 draft. "That second year is a tell-tale sign. Gaines should go out there and take over some games."

Adams played sparingly early in his rookie season but finished with 6.5 sacks and appeared more confident down the stretch.

"Gaines has gotten stronger, bigger and he has a real clear understanding of football," Coach Jon Gruden said.

Line Of The Day

Expectations are high for Tampa Bay's offensive line, which added free-agent C Jeff Faine from New Orleans as a formidable anchor.

RG Davin Joseph said the front can be "as good as we want to be," before singling out RT Jeremy Trueblood for a breakthrough season.

"I'm probably Jeremy's No. 1 fan," Joseph said of the 6-foot-8 mauler from Boston College, selected in the second round of the 2006 draft after Joseph was named Tampa Bay's No. 1 pick. "He's probably in the best shape of his life, and this could be the season he really gets his name out there."

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT