Gruden's allure sways Garcia

Ex-49ers QB to sign with Bucs, pass up chance to start for Browns

 

By Don Banks, SI.com

 

Jeff Garcia's scrambling ability is enticing to Jon Gruden.

AP

 

In a move certain to spark a quarterback controversy in Tampa Bay, free agent Jeff Garcia is poised to choose the opportunity to play for Bucs head coach Jon Gruden over the chance to be Cleveland's clear-cut starter, league sources said Monday.

 

Although Bucs sources say no contract agreement has been finalized, there is optimism within Tampa Bay's front office that it is on the verge of signing Garcia to a multiyear contract. Meanwhile, officials in Cleveland have all but given up hopes of landing Garcia, the most highly regarded quarterback in this year's free-agent market. Garcia's agent, Steve Baker, has not been in contact with the Browns on Monday, a day that Cleveland hoped would produce a contract agreement with Garcia.

 

According to a published report on the Web site of the Gilroy (Calif.) Dispatch -- Garcia's hometown paper -- Bob Garcia, the quarterback's father, said late Sunday night that his son has agreed to join Tampa Bay.

 

"He's going to Florida,'' Bob Garcia told the Dispatch. "This is a fresh start. He's going in there with guns drawn, fully loaded. He's going to give it his best shot. He said, 'Dad, I'm totally committed now. This is a new step in my life.' ''

 

In choosing the Bucs, Garcia will turn down a two-year offer from Cleveland that would have paid him in the range of $4 million per season. The Browns are believed to be the only team that has offered Garcia a starter's salary. Tampa Bay has been interested in Garcia since he was released by the 49ers in a salary-cap move last Tuesday, but the Bucs can only offer Garcia a chance to compete with incumbent starter Brad Johnson.

 

Johnson, however, could complicate the situation by either seeking a trade or asking for his release. More likely he'll merely accept the challenge to his starting status and begin the task of competing with Garcia.

 

In an interview last week with SI.com, Bob Garcia repeatedly called Tampa Bay his son's No. 1 choice and openly talked about how much Jeff Garcia wanted to play for Gruden.

 

"I love Gruden and Jeff loves Gruden,'' Bob Garcia said. "I would love for him to go to Tampa and just get an opportunity to compete against Brad Johnson. Jeff met Gruden back in 1999 when he worked out for the Raiders, and Gruden has told us many times that he made a mistake by not signing Jeff.

 

"I think Jeff is Gruden's kind of quarterback and it would be a great match. Jeff has always wanted to play for the guy and I think he'd take less money just to get that opportunity.''

 

Bob Garcia said last week that his son would not decide on a new team based on financial terms.

 

"[The 49ers]offered him pretty good money,'' Bob Garcia said. "But he told me, 'I don't care if I sign for a million somewhere. It's not the money.' He's made an awful lot of money in the past few years, and he didn't blow it. He put it away. He just really thought it was time to move on. He felt if he stayed with the 49ers next season he probably wouldn't make it through the season. He said, 'I want to go somewhere I'm happy and have the opportunity to play for a team that wants to win.' He told his agent, 'It's my happiness that matters. Not the money.' ''

 

Garcia visited Cleveland on Friday, Atlanta on Saturday and Tampa Bay on Sunday. Cleveland was counting on its advantage in the Garcia sweepstakes being its financial wherewithal to pay him as a starter. The Browns contract offer was thought to dwarf the salary figures that both Atlanta and Tampa Bay would be willing to pay Garcia. Atlanta was interested in Garcia as a backup for Michael Vick, and the Bucs still have a large financial commitment to Johnson.

 

The Buccaneers had been in contact with Garcia since he was released, but until the weekend the Bucs were uncertain if they were willing to bring Garcia in for a visit because they did not want to risk alienating Johnson.

 

Garcia, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, turned down the 49ers' offer to restructure his contract last week, refusing to cut his 2004 salary to the $5 million level, with incentives.

 

The apparent loss of Garcia is a devastating blow to Cleveland's efforts to bring the Tim Couch era to a close. Couch, their incumbent quarterback, may now be in position to return for a sixth season. Couch has been in negotiations with Cleveland regarding the reduction of his scheduled $7.6 million salary in 2004, but no agreement appeared close and the Browns were waiting to see whether they could land Garcia before they made any final decision on Couch's fate.

 

Garcia's acquisition would have spelled the end of Couch's often rocky tenure in Cleveland. Garcia would have been backed up by veteran Kelly Holcomb, with Couch being either traded or released.

 

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I'd wonder what the Tampa fans think. I know Brad Johnson was nothing great but he was more than a servicable QB. Last time I checked they did win the Super Bowl with him at QB.

 

Instead they should focus on their weakness which was their running game.

well dont forget these are the same Bucs who got to the championship game with Shaun King then wrongfully never played him again...

Good signing.

 

If I were Tampa I'd trade Johnson to a QB starved team like Cleveland, or San Diego for their 1st round pick.

 

I know San Diego has the 1st pick in the draft, but they also are the same team that basically traded Michael Vick to the Falcons (although they just traded the pick that led to Vick's selection as a Falcon), but still, the Chargers have a nack for doing that stuff.

the chargers also got tomlinson out of that pick and something else.

 

 

it wasnt a 'horrible' trade for the chargers.

the chargers also got tomlinson out of that pick and something else.

 

 

it wasnt a 'horrible' trade for the chargers.

Drew Brees and Tim Dwight were the something else.

tomlinson is better than Vick

tomlinson is better than Vick

How many times has LT been to the playoffs? 0

How many times has Vick been to the playoffs? 1

 

Are Quarterbacks more valuable than running backs? yes

Which player has the ability to be as big as the NFL itself? Vick

 

Vick is much more valuable.

did i say valuable?

 

Vick has the ability to be better, and he will be

 

but he isn't better rite now

Good signing.

 

If I were Tampa I'd trade Johnson to a QB starved team like Cleveland, or San Diego for their 1st round pick.

 

I know San Diego has the 1st pick in the draft, but they also are the same team that basically traded Michael Vick to the Falcons (although they just traded the pick that led to Vick's selection as a Falcon), but still, the Chargers have a nack for doing that stuff.

No team would trade a 1st round pick for Brad Johnson.

 

Not one.

Hell yeah!

 

Sit Brad Johnson the hell down!

 

About time the Bucs will have a real QB

You can't compare a QB to a RB. Both positions do different things. Hopefully, Garcia would help out thr Bucs' O.

now theres sayin browns?...

what an idiot!

I would rather be starting and losing then sitting and winning.

Unless they win the freakin championship again which I doubt.