Bucs, Ruud reach agreement
By RICK STROUD
Published July 26, 2005
TAMPA - With three days left until players report to training camp, the Bucs have reached agreement with three draft choices.
Linebacker Barrett Ruud, the second-round pick from Nebraska, agreed to a five-year deal early Monday morning. Terms were not released, but Ruud is expected to average $950,000 and receive bonuses of more than $2-million.
Ruud, 22, the Cornhuskers all-time leading tackler, will compete with Shelton Quarles at middle linebacker.
The deal with the 6-foot-1, 242-pound Ruud was reached after a weekend negotiating session between agent Ethan Locke and general manager Bruce Allen.
Details needed to be worked out, but the document was expected to be completed by this morning and signed later today.
"Everything went fairly smoothly," Locke said. "He's a good player. I know they love his character and would like to have him around as long as they can."
Running back Carnell "Cadillac" Williams, the team's first-round draft choice, may see some movement in stalled negotiations after the San Francisco 49ers and quarterback Alex Smith, the No.1 overall pick, agreed to terms Monday.
Although Williams was picked No.5 overall and won't command as much as a quarterback, Smith's signing is expected to break the deadlock among high first-round picks.
"We are working on a deal. We've been negotiating and have been in open dialogue dating back to last week," Williams' agent, Ben Dogra, said. "We haven't made any substantial progress at this time, but we have made movement in some other areas. So we'll continue to work. We're hopeful we can maybe do a deal that will get him into camp on time now that the marketplace is filling out."
Last week, the Bucs signed defensive tackle Anthony Bryant, a sixth-round pick from Alabama, and guard Dan Beunning, a fourth-rounder from Wisconsin.
Although they were progressing on negotiations with several other rookies, they have nine draft picks who have not agreed to terms. Allen has said they may have to release as many as seven players before Thursday's reporting date if they are to get all rookies under contract.
Expected to be cut is tackle Todd Steussie, who is scheduled to earn $2-million in base salary in 2005. But Allen said the Bucs may keep Steussie until tackle Kenyatta Walker is fully healed from a knee injury. Allen also is attempting to restructure several veteran contracts.
Defensive tackle Chris Hovan will be on a "short leash," and the Bucs might consider cutting him if he fails to live up to expectations early in training camp, according to Pro Football Weekly . Hovan, a free agent from the Vikings, signed a one-year deal worth $540,000.