Bucs add four-time Pro Bowl LB

Free agent linebacker Jeremiah Trotter has agreed to terms on a contract with the Bucs, his agent said.

By STEPHEN F. HOLDER
Published September 4, 2007

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TAMPA - Free agent linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, released abruptly by the Eagles last month, has agreed to terms on a contract with the Bucs, his agent said.

A four-time Pro Bowl selection, Trotter will, at the very least, add needed depth at middle linebacker behind Barrett Ruud.

It's believed the 30-year-old Trotter will sign a one-year deal, though agent Jimmy Sexton didn't reveal the value of the contract.

The move was not a total surprise. The Bucs arranged for a visit and workout with Trotter less than 24 hours after his release from Philadelphia two weeks ago.

At 6 feet 1 and 262 pounds, Trotter is the classic run-stopping middle linebacker. But in the Bucs' Cover 2 defense, that's not necessarily ideal. The Bucs require their middle linebacker to play a big role in pass coverage, but that's where Trotter struggles most.

"Competition breeds success," Ruud said after Trotter's initial workout. "The cream rises to the top. I've seen (Trotter) play and he's a good player."