Quarles, lineman near deals with Bucs

Refining language all that holds up re-signing linebacker, adding guard.

By RICK STROUD, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published March 7, 2003

TAMPA -- The Bucs promised rich contracts Thursday to linebacker Shelton Quarles and Giants free-agent guard Jason Whittle.

Now all the world champions have to do is find enough money under the salary cap to pay for them.

Re-signing Quarles was considered the priority of the offseason, and he is expected to finalize an agreement as early as today on a five-year contract that will pay him about $3-million per season.

Whittle, 27, agreed in principle to a 5-year, $8.2-million deal that includes a $1.8-million signing bonus.

The agents for both players say all that remains is to clean up some language in the details of the contract today.

"We made great progress, and it's down to just having to tidy up some language," said Jim Steiner, Quarles' agent. "It's not an agreement (in principle) quite yet, but it's awfully darn close. It's just down to the language and the details of it."

But for the Bucs to complete those contracts, they will need to finish restructuring the one belonging to Pro Bowl defensive end Simeon Rice.

The Bucs are about $600,000 under the $75-million salary cap, but they are expected to finalize an agreement today on a new contract for Rice, who was to make $4.6-million this season, $5.9-million in 2004 and $6-million in 2005.

Tampa Bay created room by restructuring the contracts of linebacker Derrick Brooks, cornerback Ronde Barber, kicker Martin Gramatica, receiver Joe Jurevicius, tight end Ken Dilger. They also converted a $300,000 roster bonus to fullback Mike Alstott into a signing bonus to save about $200,000.

Negotiations with Quarles intensified amid renewed promises by Steiner that the Pro Bowl middle linebacker would schedule visits to Indianapolis and Green Bay if progress on a new deal wasn't reached by the weekend.

But Quarles had always expressed an interest in remaining with the Bucs and is considered the player Tampa Bay would have the most trouble replacing among four starters who are unrestricted free agents.

As talks on a new deal for Quarles heated up, the Bucs also met with Whittle, a 6-foot-4, 300-pound guard who also serves as a long snapper and is capable of playing center.

Whittle was considering an offer to return to the Giants before the Bucs topped it, and Whittle is expected to sign today.

"We have a disagreement about some language in the signing bonus," said Joe Linta, Whittle's agent. "When we got here, they were ready to roll. It didn't take a long time to come to the numbers that were okay. But we noticed some language in the signing bonus we're not comfortable with. It's not a deal-breaker."

Linta said the Bucs want Whittle to play guard unless they have trouble finding a suitable replacement for centers Jeff Christy and Todd Washington, who were released last week.

Whittle, who signed with the Giants as an undrafted free agent in 1998, was a late bloomer. He started five games in his first four seasons, then started 15 in 2002, including the playoffs.

"Oh, God, he's happier than a pig in slop," Linta said of Whittle. "I think the plan is to play him at guard right now, unless they can't find a center."

Revamping the offensive line is another priority for the Super Bowl champions, who could have as many as three new starters there in 2003.

The Bucs have discussed the parameters of a contract for Jaguars free-agent center John Wade, who visited the team Wednesday.

Left guard Kerry Jenkins could be asked to play center, and the Bucs also may need to replace left tackle Roman Oben, a 19-game starter who began a visit with the Steelers on Thursday.

The Bucs hope to repeat as the league's top-ranked defense, and retaining Quarles is the most critical step. In his first season after moving to middle linebacker, he was second to Derrick Brooks in tackles with 159 and was named to his first Pro Bowl.