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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.
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.



[Last modified: May 27, 2008 04:05 PM]



Comments on this article
by Todd May 27, 2008 4:05 PM
Tony G, great comment! Blaming Gruden for Garcia not making incentives is stupid. You play a guy with a bad back in a game that doesn't matter? Don't cry people, everyone will get what they deserve.
by Snook May 27, 2008 2:32 PM
Amazing. A RB OVER 30 years old and a QB that's almost 40 and people are SCREAMING for them to be resigned for more money. Unbelievable.
by Snook May 27, 2008 2:31 PM
Hey everyone -- ITS MAY -- not August or September. This will take care of itself. CALM DOWN. ITS MAY!!!
by Michael May 27, 2008 2:19 PM
I find it very funny how whenever the Bucs sign an old player, all I hear is that Gruden/Allen dosnt know what he is doing. Perfect example was when they signed Garcia last year. Now, they dont know what they are doing by not signing him longterm????
by Tom May 27, 2008 1:55 PM
Do they want cheese with that whine? Grow up, live up to your contract and let your playing do your talking for you. No one forced you to sign your current contract. So shut up and put up!!!!!
by Gene May 26, 2008 2:51 PM
The Bucs won the division because of these two. Gruden didnt care about the fans or garcia by not allowing garcia to play the last game to sharpen his skills for the playoffs or garcias pocketbook. once again, Gruden makes poor personnel calls.
by Demetric May 26, 2008 2:16 PM
Im a Buc fan and had the priveledge to watch some games live, and let me tell ya, without Garcia and Graham there would've been no playoffs. Sign Garcia and Graham now. The NFC South was weak last year but dont expect two years of sub-par football.
by Tony May 26, 2008 2:16 PM
Rick, how about giving us something that a real Bucs' fan might actually want to read. You aren't giving us anything new. It's lazy journalism to just take an overdrawn topic and follow it through to an obvious conclusion. Do some real work.......
by Tony G May 26, 2008 12:07 PM
"A lower back injury forced Garcia to miss part or all of three other games", yet Gruden taking Garcia out after a half of pounding in San Fran or treating the last game like a bye week is why Garcia didn't play 70%? You get paid for this Stroud?
by Nick May 26, 2008 11:23 AM
Buc's have already spoken by signing Griese and taking Josh Johnson. I don't think Gruden would put out a disgruntle QB. Garcia is done. Same with Graham, he needs to seek other employment. Signing Bennett to his contract and adding Dunn, he's out.
by Nick May 26, 2008 11:23 AM
Buc's have already spoken by signing Griese and taking Josh Johnson. I don't think Gruden would put out a disgruntle QB. Garcia is done. Same with Graham, he needs to seek other employment. Signing Bennett to his contract and adding Dunn, he's out.
by Ben May 26, 2008 11:18 AM
Garcia should at least make more than the quarterbacks on the bench that failed to produce.
by Doyle May 26, 2008 11:16 AM
We do not need Graham as much as people think.... and for Garica..He's always complaning..I'm Canadian and I saw it all the time in the CFL..won't be surpised if he has bad year.. How the Playoffs go this year Jeff.
by John Klopfer May 26, 2008 11:15 AM
Is this the only topic to discuss in the off season? It seems that there are more Buc related items of interest. Why not write a lengthy profile on each rookie? Something with meat. I'm sorry but Garcia and Graham are old news.
by Ty May 26, 2008 11:13 AM
he's a great QB but he is getting old,so we shouldnt have wasted money and draft picks on Brain Griese,he sucks so bad,so Garcia shouldve got that money instead of Brian Griese
by mike May 26, 2008 11:08 AM
another great article by the times....NOT!
by Scott May 26, 2008 11:03 AM
Bucs fans know that if they had not sat Jeff an additional game he would have recieved the Bonus. Considering the weapons on offense he had to work with last year he did pretty well. I believe in due time the team will make it right before camp.
by Nick May 26, 2008 11:03 AM
Wow, you really think the Bucs would franchise a 39 year old QB? For 9 Mil? That's ridiculous At 2 mil, Garcia's a bargain but he's not getting 9 mil
by Chris May 26, 2008 10:29 AM
Give them the money!! without Graham and Garcia where would the bucs finished last year!!
by mkurbo May 26, 2008 10:00 AM
The key point here - and others have made the same case - is that Garcia’s style of play works with a younger body, but it does give pause when thinking about the next couple years. Not enough credit has been given to Allen/Gruden for having McCown & Griese available to step in if needed. But do you enter into a long term contract with Garcia ?
by Nick May 26, 2008 8:14 AM
They should give garcia a little raise but not the 7 mil he wants he's not worth that much he only threw 13 TD also greise is capable of running this offence he looked good two years ago when he was the bucs qb
by Stewart May 26, 2008 8:07 AM
Garcia did a fine job, but is 38 and reckless with his body. He agreed to the incentive-laden contract so let's not go overboard praising him for living up to it. Graham is very average. I hope they trade him for a wr while his value is over-inflated
by Dave May 25, 2008 11:10 AM
WE NEED Garcia and Graham...give them the money....this doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this out...JON & ALLEN!
by Kevin May 25, 2008 11:10 AM
Garica has done this in more than one place. When things don't go right or go downhill...its always something else or someone else. Yes its great he's going to honor his contract yet Graham has only missed vol practices. Garcia will not play this yr
by Jeff May 25, 2008 11:10 AM
Bruce - throw Garcia a bone here. 1 year 3.5 million take it or leave it deal. As for Earnest, two year 5.5 mil deal with a 1.5 mil signing bonus. Make it so......
by Derrick May 25, 2008 11:10 AM
i think garcia has a very good point here. he was major uh our reason say year and deserve a pay increase i rather see him under center the next season or two than anyone else. graham is another situation because i thought he had a chance to sign a really good extension last off season and left it on the table. now, he's looking for another deal because of what he did last season. plus with the plethora of backs we have now this is really a bad time to do something like this. i hope he gets something done cause if he's not there in training camp then he could become another rhett story!
by al May 25, 2008 11:10 AM
'nobody is painting Graham as a malcontent'. Do you read any messages left by fans or listen to any sports radio, Rick? I have seen/heard many negative things said about him already and it's May. I guess Rich didn't give you the heads up on that one.
by paul May 25, 2008 11:10 AM
hey bruce allen and jon gruden all i want to know is where's the beef?give him what he deserves and i don't mean a boot in the postera reagen
by ValricoRick May 25, 2008 11:10 AM
The Bucs won the division last year because the Saints and Panthers couldn’t get out of their own way, and the Falcons imploded. The value of one player never exceeds the sum of the parts! No one player alone has ever won a Super Bowl without a team!
by Mario May 25, 2008 11:09 AM
They better pray that Garcia doens't hold out, he's the only guy that can run this complex offense! He's the only QB with both the brains and physical abiltity!
by derek May 25, 2008 11:09 AM
have to agree with this article
by Geo May 25, 2008 11:09 AM
"Yet, nobody is painting Graham as a malcontent." Who in the Bucs organization is painting Graham as a malcontent. Make your opinions and slant on an article clear. You seem to paint a picture that this is an opinion of the organization.
by Geo May 25, 2008 11:09 AM
"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." Is this a quote or an opinion? If there is an actual quote to justify this, site it.
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