Bucs quarterback Jeff Garcia still isn’t happy that he hasn’t gotten a new contract. And he’s not bashful about saying so.
Various media reports indicate that Garcia is chirping about the second season of a two-year deal he signed with the Bucs in 2007.
“[The Bucs] have indicated to my agent that they’d be working something out or trying to work something out, but it’s at a snail’s pace it seems right now,” said Garcia. “I have one year left on my contract. At the rate it’s going who knows if it will actually happen before the season starts.”
He hinted at a possible boycott of offseason workouts. He also hasn’t ruled out skipping an upcoming mandatory minicamp or training camp.
“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.”
Though Garcia is currently talking as if he’ll attend training camp, he vaguely suggested that his contractual status could affect his performance. “I’m under center [when training camp begins]. But after a while it does start to play with you mentally. This is a physical game and you want players to go out and give everything they have and lay their bodies on the line and lay their hearts on the line. ‘ Well, we want you to lay something on the line, too.’ That’s what it really comes down to.”
Garcia also politicked for running back Earnest Graham, who is staying away from voluntary workouts because (as we’ve heard it) he wants to be paid like Frank Gore. “There are a few players on this team that I believe should be rewarded,” Garcia said. “One of those guys isn’t here with us right now and I don’t know if [his contract] is the reason. Earnest Graham had a spectacular year last year. In no way do I or anyone else on this team feel that was a fluke, but yet he’s stuck on the bottom and he’s a guy that we all believe as teammates and players in this business that should be rewarded. I don’t think anybody here is trying to break the bank. It’s about what your peers around the league are making and being respected and appreciated in that sort of way.”
The problem for the Bucs is that they still have $29 million in 2008 cap room. Thus, players like Garcia and Graham are going to want some of it, if it doesn’t get spent on new players.
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May 14th, 2008 at 7:27 am
Norcross has a good point and I think the team will end up paying for the playing time bonuses missed my the team resting him. I also think they will sign him to another 2 year, incentive laden contract worth significantly more than the last one.
He doesn’t get much without the bucs giving him a chance last year. Gruden and Allen don’t win the division and risk loosing their jobs without Garcia. So they both need each other. There is nothing in the Bucs recent history to suggest that they won’t address both Garcia and Graham’s contract so the issue seems to be with the “snails pace” that is bothering him. The bucs do have a history of waiting to the last moment to complete these things, I’m not sure why but I doubt it is by accident. A few years ago it was Brooks not feeling respected but in the end he was taken care of. Allen has this team under control and his slow pace of negotiating is probably just a management tool.
Garcia is well liked in the bay area and is sounding off to try help his position. It won’t work. The Bucs management have rarely cared much about the publics perception and run the business side of things as ruthless as any multi-national. Ask any city or county government official that tried to get an extra penny from them that wasn’t explicitly owed.
Sometimes it’s better just to be quite and let your agent do his job.
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May 14th, 2008 at 7:28 am
He helped them win the division with a 37 yr old Joey Galloway, and perrenial underachievers, Ike Hilliard and Michael Clayton. There was little support from TEs Alex Smith or Anthony Becht and now Gruden is collecting QBs like they’re beanie babies. I imagine any Bucs QB not named Brian Griese (I still don’t get how this guy keeps steady work) has some degree of pissy-ness.
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May 14th, 2008 at 7:28 am
True they leave everything on the field, but what dollar amount satisfies them? Its never enough and never will be.At that level whats the difference between 8 or 9 cars or 4 or 5 homes. He wants respect!! Wheres ours, at over the top ticket prices making >50> thousand a year.
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May 14th, 2008 at 7:35 am
Its a matter of Supply and Demand. If TB cut Garcia today, he would get nothing more than an NFL minimum contract to be a backup for some team.
Garcia wont make it thru 6 games healthy this year.
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May 14th, 2008 at 8:24 am
I will say his wife is hot
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May 14th, 2008 at 9:14 am
Holy Crap. Garcia’s a mediocre QB who wants a new contract. He sucked in Cleveland, and Detroit, he can’t stay healthy and he constantly whines. If Plummer hadn’t retired, Garcia might not even have a job. Shut up and play.
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May 14th, 2008 at 9:16 am
Are you guys kidding? The Bucs may have fifty QBs on their roster, but only Garcia is worth a damn.
Griese couldn’t do it on his previous stint in Tampa, Simms is probably done in football, Gradkowski is bound for arena ball, Plummer is retired, McCown (Luke?) is destined to be a backup, and their draft pick is another Div II prospect, can you say practice squad?
Bucs were 4-12 with the previous list of QBs. I’d say Garcia has all of the leverage he needs. As a fan of the Bucs, I realize he is not a long term solution, but I don’t think a two year extension should be out of the question
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May 14th, 2008 at 9:39 am
Ther you go, Jeff. Just keep flapping that trap. You are just cementing that stellar reputaion you have for being an absolute turd. Way to go, Jeffy!
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May 14th, 2008 at 9:43 am
On the point of bonus money lost by sitting Garcia for the last 2 games..
If he wasn’t injured so much during the season, he would have made his bonus even with sitting the last 2 games.
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May 14th, 2008 at 9:52 am
Oh he would get picked up by someone and likely start somewhere. He could probly start for another 10-11 teams out there besides tampa, right now.
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:37 am
i think that all he really wants is a receiver who will cry for him.
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May 14th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
don’t the bucs have like 12 qbs under contract? Hell they’re probably hoping garcia holds out
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May 14th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
The Bucs were the only team who gave him a chance last year, now he’s ragging at them about not respecting him and paying him more money …. BITCH!
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
I wonder what Garcia has gotten paid over the course of his NFL career. Seems he should be saving his pennies for retirement. He’s already in the right state for it.
He should shut up and be happy that a team is willing to pay him millions for getting crushed in the first round of the playoffs.
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May 14th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
Best outcome would be for Garcia to hold out and then Plummer decides to report.
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May 15th, 2008 at 9:35 am
Give it up garcia. The only reason you were signed last year was because Simms wasn’t going to play and Gruden couldn’t find a old QB. Now he found one a little younger than you which could be as bad as you 14 Games 2400 yards and 13 TD’s?? Follow Farve out the retirement doors already would you.
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May 15th, 2008 at 9:54 am
What a joke. At his age it’s not like he has a lot of leverage.
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May 15th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
wasnt he like a 5th alternate probowler who actually got to go?
his leverage is that a bunch of other qbs out there really suck.
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May 15th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
Patriots fan was spying in a game. >> newsriderboomer.blogspot.com
oops wrong thread.
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 WEarrick Dunn and his 3.5 YPC average about 6 million?! Puh-lease!
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May 17th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
I think he played OK last year but certainly not $7 million dollars worth.
He does have enthusiasm and does get everyone pumped up. Excuse the pun. He didn’t seem to feel crisp at all times last year. Maybe he was in the shotgun too much. I thank him for last year but he has to come in and play and quit whining and prove that he is worthy of a pay raise. One year does not prove a whole lot.
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