Throughout the 2008 offseason, Bucs defensive end Greg White has been an exclusive rights free agent.  The term applies to players with less than three years of NFL service whose contracts (typically, one year for the minimum salary) have expired.

Until the player has three years of service, the team that signed him to his last contract holds the player’s ”exclusive rights” merely by tendering to him an offer equal to the minimum salary for the next year for a player at his level of experience.

White had a fairly decent year in 2007, and thus wanted more than a one-year deal for the minimum.  But he had no leverage, other than to stay away (and not get paid anything) for up to ten weeks of the regular season.  (Since he wasn’t under contract, the August 5 deadline that applied to Devin Hester didn’t apply to White.) 

According to Pewter Report, White has signed a contract.  It’s just not completely clear whether he caved in and signed his one-year tender, or whether the two sides worked out something for more money, and more years.  We’re guessing, however, that he signed only his one-year exclusive rights tender, and will continue to hope for more.