Rather than play the restricted free agent game, the Bucs instead have signed running back LeGarrette Blount to a one-year, $1.75 million contract. There are no guarantees within the contract, suggesting Blount will still have to earn a spot on the roster.

The contract includes a base salary of $1.25 million, according to players union data. According to the Nationalfootballpost.com, it also contains a $350,000 reporting bonus and a workout bonus of $150,000.

Blount was awaiting a decision from the team on a restricted free agent tender that would have given the club the right to match any competing contract offer, but the team was able to retain Blount for a deal that will cost less than the first- and second-round tender levels. Those tenders – at $2.879 million and $2.023 million, respectively – would have given the club draft-pick protection in the event another team signed Blount.

Knowing that possibility was remote, the Bucs opted to make the deal and retain a player who gives them depth behind starting running back Doug Martin.

Blount played sparingly last season, carrying 41 times for 151 yards -- both career lows. Blount had a combined 1,788 rushing yards in his first and second seasons, 2010 and 2011.