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Garcia's point lost amid contract grumbling with Bucs

By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
In print: Sunday, May 25, 2008

Despite being unhappy with his contract, Bucs quarterback Jeff Garcia has yet to miss a day of voluntary offseason workouts.
	[EDMUND D. FOUNTAIN | Times]

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TAMPA — Jeff Garcia may be unhappy with his contract, but he intends to fulfill it.

With all the teeth gnashing by the Pro Bowl quarterback over the past few weeks, the most important point was lost.

Garcia will not miss a day of training camp. He will not miss a regu­lar-season practice. Barring injury, he will be the starter Sept. 7 at New Orleans.

It doesn't mean his mind will be clear. Garcia's pads could come with shoulder chips because he is upset about the slow pace of talks regarding an extension.

He has one year left on a deal that will pay him a $2-million salary. Worse yet, he forfeited more than $1-million in incentives because he failed to participate in 70 percent of the offensive snaps.

Part of the reason is the team sat him for the final regular-season game and let him play only a half the week before at San Francisco. A lower back injury forced Garcia to miss part or all of three other games.

The Bucs apparently made a promise to restructure his deal so he could recoup that playing incentive. Now it appears they want something else in return, namely an extension for at least another year at a salary Garcia believes is below market value.

It's easy to see both sides of this dispute.

Garcia has reason to feel as if he had something to do with the fat, three-year extensions signed by coach Jon Gruden and general manager Bruce Allen.

The Bucs have reason to feel as if they gave Garcia, 38, a chance to resurrect his career after spending the previous five seasons with five different teams.

Tampa Bay officials also are concerned that Garcia's style of play could lead to more missed games because of injury.

Before you think that teams don't reward quarterbacks before their contracts expire, consider the extensions that have been given to the Rams' Marc Bulger or the Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger.

It's true those quarterbacks have a lot more tread left on their tires. We also don't know the kind of dollars Garcia is asking for, but he insists he isn't trying "to break the bank."

There's no question the Bucs have the hammer in this dispute.

Garcia is under contract, he enjoyed a lot of success under Gruden, and they know he is going to compete his backside off on Sundays during the regular season.

Even if no extension is reached and Garcia plays well, he will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Given the sorry state of quarterbacking in the NFL, the Bucs likely would use a franchise tag and pay him about $9-million for 2009.

Not a bad consolation prize.

But credit Garcia with this: He has voluntarily participated in every offseason workout. He hinted that may not be the case one day, but halfway through the voluntary workouts, his attendance is perfect.

The same cannot be said for running back Earnest Graham, who also is seeking a contract extension.

Yet, nobody is painting Graham as a malcontent.

Both Garcia and Graham hope to have their situations resolved by training camp, but don't expect either to hold out.

It's too bad because the chemistry and spectacular performances by Garcia and Graham are a big reason why the Bucs won their third division title in six years.