Graham, Bucs agree to contract extension

The Bucs running back has agreed to a four-year deal worth $11-million, ending any possibility of a training camp holdout.

The agreement was reported Sunday night by NFL.com. Graham, 28, did not participate in voluntary workouts or the offseason workout program, presumably because he wanted a contract extension. He did take part in mandatory minicamp.

Terms of the deal have not been released, so it's not known how much of that $11-million is guaranteed or if it includes a signing bonus.

Graham could not be reached Sunday night. But he had expressed optimism that an agreement would be reached before training camp. He downplayed his absence from the offseason workout program — which has been his routine for most of his five-year pro career.

"I'm doing the same thing I've always done," Graham said earlier this year. "I'm working hard in the offseason and getting ready for camp. That other thing will take care of itself."

The former Florida Gator emerged as a starter for the first time last season after injuries to Cadillac Williams and Michael Pittman. Graham, whose rushing high was 83 yards in 2005, totaled 898 yards and 10 touchdowns.

He will be an integral part of a backfield that includes Warrick Dunn, 33, and Michael Bennett, 29.

While Graham took the silent approach, quarterback Jeff Garcia has been vocal about his disgust over the lack of progress in his talks with the Bucs on a contract extension. With Graham in the fold, the team could turn its attention to reaching an accord with the 38-year-old.

Graham, who was entering the final year of his contract that would have paid him a base salary of about $600,000, has said others deserve to be rewarded.

"I think a lot of people stood up and played well," he said. "I think a lot of people benefited from what happened last year, and I think everybody will be taken care of."

Comments on this article

by Tad	Jul 4, 2008 1:52 PM
I am telling my boss, I don't want to work for $1,000.00 a week anymore. I want more money or I will quit. He said go ahead. You see the picture?---Roland yeah, but janitors are a dime a dozen see the picture?

by jb	Jul 2, 2008 6:40 PM
Luke,I'm not a Redskins fan and never have been,so you can talk about them all you want,I just like watching football,I just like too see a good ball game does'nt matter who's playing,facts are facts,no one can change that,Tampa's done for now

by jb	Jul 2, 2008 6:32 PM
Luke,have a good day,maybe I'll catch you at a game someday and by you a beer, you to Glen,peace bros

by Luke	Jul 1, 2008 10:27 PM
Jb, Dungy has had the most talented team in the NFL for the last 8-10 years and has one ring to show for it. Same old argument, if it was Dungy's team then why didn't he win a Superbowl? Why, he refused to play offense. Dungy 1, Gruden 1 D.A.

by Luke	Jul 1, 2008 10:27 PM
Jb, I just read that you are from DC. With that idiot midget you have running your team you should be disqualified from even having an opinion. Who is your coach this week? You have the audacity to talk about coaches and management?

by jb	Jul 1, 2008 8:43 PM
Luke you are no doubt the most ignorant fool on this blog,Dungy built the team and then was fired,Gruden came in and just turned the key,and then after the superbowl,Gruden broke up Dungy's team,and has not,and will not win another,Dungy 2,Gruden 0

by J.J.	Jul 1, 2008 5:01 PM
Good for Earnest! Rep the SW FLA!!! Good luck this year, EG!

by Jason A.	Jul 1, 2008 4:22 PM
Graham gives much needed depth in the offense. He's got great vision and good hands. I'm glad that we didn't let him slip by.

by charlie	Jul 1, 2008 4:12 PM
GO BUCS!!!!!!!

by Bucs	Jul 1, 2008 3:50 PM
Graham is the best RB on the roster. But K.Jones is said to sign with Tampa within the week. So how much confidence do you think Tampa has in Graham? If he IS as good as a lot of us think, there will be a major contract dispute next season.

by RoseM.	Jun 30, 2008 11:50 PM
Well, you got to give to him.. Graham did work hard during the season.. Go Graham!

by Luke	Jun 30, 2008 11:50 PM
You complete ignorant idiots that rip on Gruden and Allen - name we one available tandem you would replace them with. We won a Superbowl (Dungy no), we are under the salary cap with an extremely talented young team. Yeah, they’re dumb and dumber.

by porter	Jun 30, 2008 7:13 PM
he's a hard worker and he handled it the right way. maybe garcia was paying attention?

by Rusty	Jun 30, 2008 7:10 PM
Why can't the Bucs be ahead of a deadline? They could make someone feel they are needed by approaching the player. Instead of always waiting.

by Bucs	Jun 30, 2008 6:14 PM
For everyone that thinks Graham "got his due", he's making the equivalent of Warrick Dunn's salary. If Graham is going to be the focal point of this team, he was taken to the cleaners here. He should have been paid more.

by jb	Jun 30, 2008 4:31 PM
Glen,sticks and stones can break my bones,etc.if you must know I'm from Wash D.C.,no I'm not a Bucs fan,so I can see the picture clearly,without goggles,unlike you and the rest of the Buc fans,want to win cut your loses,peace

by Greg	Jun 30, 2008 1:19 PM
Amazing what one good year will get you. Let's wait and see what he does this year - maybe the team will even make the playoffs?

by Greg	Jun 30, 2008 1:19 PM
This is good to see...not sure if Dumb and Dumber were going to reward Graham for a great season or not...now it is on him to back it up and get 1200 yards and 10-12 TDs this year!

by Carmine	Jun 30, 2008 1:06 PM
Good for Graham. Team player, a man that worked hard to get what he can. As Sir Winston Churchill once said: "Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential."

by Krutch	Jun 30, 2008 1:06 PM
Wow. I'm glad Graham got his due. I'm amazed we got him for that cheap considering the recent FA signings. Looking forward to 3 more years of bruising runs by the Gator!

by Ted	Jun 30, 2008 1:05 PM
I'm so sick of these players and there pay.

by Al	Jun 30, 2008 1:04 PM
The guy is a diamond in the rough. Glad he'll be wearing our uniform for the next 4 years.

by roland	Jun 30, 2008 1:04 PM
I am telling my boss, I don't want to work for $1,000.00 a week anymore. I want more money or I will quit. He said go ahead. You see the picture?

by Tim	Jun 30, 2008 1:04 PM
Hey Rick.. which is it ? Did he not attend workouts because he wanted a new contract or has he not attended workouts for the past 5 years ?? Nothing different.. You can't have it both ways..

by Matt	Jun 30, 2008 1:03 PM
What's your source that Graham didn't do voluntary workouts because of the contract? He's skipped these for years, so to print that as a fact or even "presumably" you must have info, or you're just guessing and that's not news.

by Richard	Jun 30, 2008 12:57 PM
What was wrong with Graham's grammer? He gets an A+ from me.

by glenn	Jun 30, 2008 12:56 PM
jb, admit to us all what city & team you support. You're clearly not a Bucs fan so we don't take your rot seriously. We would certainly enjoy trading potshots with you. My guess is you're from NY, where they take pride in being airhead _holes.

by Richard	Jun 30, 2008 12:53 PM
What was wrong with Graham's grammer? He gets an A+ from me.

by reg	Jun 30, 2008 12:09 PM
Dan could you be any bigger of an ass? Perhaps if you put your shoulder into it...you could raise the bar of being the biggest ass in all of blogdom?

by dan	Jun 30, 2008 11:49 AM
he should take some of the money and learn to speak proper english !!! what an example of how the schools have gone so far downhill !!

by andrew	Jun 30, 2008 11:47 AM
sweeeeeeeeeeet. go Graham!

by kris	Jun 30, 2008 11:24 AM
Good deal. Finally some good news from the Buccaneers this off-season.

by Bucs	Jun 30, 2008 11:23 AM
$11 million over four years in peanuts. I can't believe Graham would consider holding out for this amount. It also makes me wonder just how much (or how little) the Bucs will use Graham in their gameplan.

by Steve	Jun 30, 2008 11:22 AM
I wonder if the author reads what he writes. Mr. Graham is "presumed" to have not shown up at the OTA's to protest his lack of contract extension but in the next paragraph it is mentioned that he's been absent from them in year's past. Yikes!

by jb	Jun 30, 2008 11:21 AM
the Bucs finally did someting right,now you need to trade in that Cadillac for a Benz and send Gruden packing