The Gibbs High grad says coach Dennis Green will give him a shot at the starting job.
By ROGER MILLS
Published March 7, 2004
TAMPA - The storybook run is over.
St. Petersburg's Shaun King, who quarterbacked the Bucs to the 1999 NFC Championship Game in his rookie season, is heading west to play for the Cardinals. King, who played at Gibbs High, signed a two-year deal worth about $3-million Saturday after spending Friday with new Arizona coach Dennis Green.
King, 26, said he'll get a chance to compete with Josh McCown for the starting position.
"I feel very excited about the opportunity," King said. "Coach Green is an incredible football mind, and I'm looking forward to going there and working with him and being part of a turnaround (of the franchise)."
An unrestricted free agent, King said the Bucs wanted him back but never made any serious offers. Arizona was his first, and last, trip.
"A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush," he said.
The move is a logical one for King, who lost his starting job to veteran Brad Johnson and did not appear to be in the Bucs' long-term plans after the arrival of rookie Chris Simms.
King has spent the past three seasons getting mostly mop-up duty behind Johnson.
"(The experience) taught me how to be humble," King said. "There are no hard feelings. I enjoyed every minute of it. It'll always be my home. But this was an opportunity I couldn't pass up."
King said he will turn his attention to getting on board with Green and attempting to turn around a franchise that has made the playoffs twice since 1976. "A lot of work has to be done," he said. "There is a mind-set here that has to change. I'm looking forward to the chance to work hard and be a part of helping the Cardinals become the next Tampa Bay or the next Carolina. Josh is the incumbent, but it's my job to come in and play hard. I never doubted my ability, so this is my chance to show that I can play in this league."
Redskins sign Tupa
The Redskins continued filling needs by reaching a four-year, $3.7-million deal with Bucs punter Tom Tupa, ESPN.com reported. Tupa received a $675,000 signing bonus and yearly salaries at the league minimum.
Last season, Tupa averaged 43.3 yards, and his net average was 35.9, a half-yard better than his career average.
The Bucs, meanwhile, continued to pursue offensive linemen, entertaining Ravens right tackle Orlando Brown on Saturday.
Brown is considered one of the most intimidating tackles in the game. But the Bucs are running out of salary-cap room after signing offensive linemen Derrick Deese and Matt Stinchcomb, tight ends Rickey Dudley and Dave Moore and running back Greg Comella through the first four days of free agency.
Free agent Cosey Coleman, who played right and left guard for the Bucs in 2003, visited Miami. "We had a good visit, and they are very interested in him," Pat Dye, Coleman's agent, said. "But their parameters are different than ours right now. It's not done."
The Bucs continued talks with Leigh Steinberg, the agent for Eagles running back Duce Staley, who visited Tampa last week.
To fill the void left by the departure of Thomas Jones (Bears) and Aaron Stecker (Saints), the Bucs also might pursue running back Jamel White, who was released by the Browns on Friday.
