Bucs agree with Garcia, trade for Plummer

Just one day after quarterback Jake Plummer indicated he'd rather retire than relocate in a trade, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have recovered, signing unrestricted free agent Jeff Garcia on a deal that could allow the veteran to again challenge for a starting job in the league.

Then they traded for Plummer anyway, sending a 2008 conditional draft pick to the Denver Broncos on Saturday in exchange.


While terms were not yet available, ESPN.com's John Clayton reported the deal for Garcia was believed to be for about $5 million a year. The team announced the signing on its Web site.


Garcia quickly became the Bucs' primary target on Friday after Plummer, who has played the past four seasons in Denver but lost his job to rookie Jay Cutler last year, decided that he did not want to join the Bucs. Tampa Bay would have surrendered a fourth-round draft pick to the Broncos under terms of the preliminary trade agreement.


Part of the rationale in completing the Plummer deal, after it had fallen apart, is that Denver coach Mike Shanahan does not want the quarterback to un-retire in a few months and attempt to sign with another team. League sources said Saturday afternoon that the Broncos suspected Plummer might still attempt to join the Houston Texans, where former Denver offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak is the head coach.


By trading Plummer's rights to the Bucs, even for a conditional draft choice, the Broncos have forced his hand. If Plummer decides that he wants to play in 2007, he could not sign anywhere he wanted, because Tampa Bay now technically has been assigned his existing contract.


The only potential risk for the Bucs is that, if Plummer does decide to play, Tampa Bay becomes responsible for his 2007 base salary of $5.3 million.


The deals would give the Bucs two veteran quarterbacks to compete with Chris Simms for the starting job.


Garcia also was sought by several other teams, including Denver and the Oakland Raiders.


The opportunity in Tampa Bay is a good one for Garcia because of Gruden's feelings for him, and the fact the Bucs are not yet ready to hand Simms the No. 1 job. Simms is coming off a season in which he underwent a splenectomy, missed much of the campaign, and has been forced to spend months in rehabilitation.


Plus, Gruden is a coach who simply loves to collect quarterbacks and always feels that his depth chart is never stocked well enough. Garcia has played in the past in offenses that are similar to the design Gruden uses, so the fit should be a solid one for all parties involved.


Last week, the Philadelphia Eagles closed the door on Garcia's return there when they signed A.J. Feeley to a three-year contract extension. The move was somewhat surprising, given that Garcia posted a 5-1 record and led the Eagles to a playoff berth after replacing the injured Donovan McNabb.


Under the right circumstances, Philadelphia probably would have welcomed Garcia back for another season, but only on its conditions and on its timetable. His reluctance to re-sign with the Eagles before the outset of free agency solidified the desires of some within the organization to pursue Feeley instead, and to essentially make him the No. 2 quarterback on the depth chart.


All along, though, Garcia and agent Steve Baker knew they would have alternatives beyond the Eagles, and the Plummer situation simply created another option for them.


"Jeff feels he has multiple good options, but the opportunity to play for Jon Gruden in Tampa is something that really excites him," Baker said on Friday afternoon. "Jon is a coach who Jeff believes has the ability to bring out the best in him. In fact, he feels that by playing for Jon, he has a very good chance of duplicating the success he had with the Eagles in Philadelphia last year."

A three-time Pro Bowl performer, but a quarterback nomad since 2003, his final season with the San Francisco 49ers, Garcia is joining his fourth different franchise in four seasons.



In 99 games, including 92 starts, Garcia has completed 1,811 of 2,972 passes for 20,385 yards, with 136 touchdown passes and 73 interceptions, for an efficiency rating of 86.4. He has thrown for more than 2,500 yards five times in his career

This whole Plummber thing is kind of odd. I guess it is a smart move by the Broncos. The Bucs would be prudent to talk him into playing, I think he can still play. The only thing is, if he does play, they are going to have cut someone, I guess Gradkowski would make the most sense.