Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
And indications are LB Derrick Brooks might be back for good as contract negotiations with the Bucs are speeding toward a resolution.
By RICK STROUD
© St. Petersburg Times, published August 10, 2001
TAMPA -- Derrick Brooks was a little sore -- this time not at the Bucs -- just the result of some tired legs from his first training camp workout Wednesday.
"I guess running in the mud last night was something I hadn't been doing," said Brooks, one day after ending his 10-day holdout. "Just more or less putting the equipment on. Those two or three extra pounds mean a big difference."
But if negotiations on a contract extension to make him the best-paid linebacker in league history continue at the current pace, the only thing weighing him down will be his wallet.
Brooks agent, Roosevelt Barnes and general manager Rich McKay closed such a gulf in talks Wednesday and Thursday that Brooks is confident a deal will be struck before camp breaks Aug. 17.
In fact, Barnes indicated an agreement might come sooner.
"If we were a mile apart at the start of negotiations, then we're about half a mile apart now," Barnes said Thursday. "It's safe to say, if we come to some point where we cover those things, Brooks could sign (a new deal) very soon."
Brooks has given the Bucs until the Sept. 9 regular-season opener in Dallas to sign him to an extension. And for salary-cap purposes, the new structure probably would provide some relief for the team at the start of the season.
"We set a time in our minds that we'd like to do it. Hopefully, it'll get done before this camp is over," Brooks said. "I'm quite sure it will be.
"Of course, if I could have it done this afternoon I would like that. But we know it's not a situation that's going to be done overnight. It's going to take some time to do it ... but as long as there is constant communication going on, it's going to get done."
Neither the Bucs nor Brooks will discuss terms of the new deal. But Barnes indicated Brooks deserves to be paid among the top five players in the league, regardless of position.
"It's obvious he wants to win a Super Bowl, that's why he's back in camp," Barnes said. "So, the type of relationship we have had with the Bucs and Derrick's will to win a Super Bowl outweighs his desire to get (that) type of contract (extension). He's going to be flexible. And he's going to get paid. His play warrants that he's one of the top five players in the league."
Having appeared in four straight Pro Bowls and having led the Bucs in tackles four of the past five seasons, Brooks' value should be represented in his new contract.
But Brooks had to honor the Bucs policy of not negotiating with holdouts and the Bucs had to assure Brooks that he would be compensated.
"That's one of the things they sat back and realized is that they never played a down without Derrick in the last six years," Brooks said. "I had to respect their policy that no progress was going to be made as long as I was at home and they had to respect my issues, too. Once we got them all on the table, that was the key."
Coach Tony Dungy was asked if Brooks' debut in camp could've been more perfect than on the last night practice before a large crowd Wednesday.
"Yeah, if he'd come in Day 1," Dungy said. "The way it went, it would've been hard to beat a night practice, with a big crowd and Derrick coming back. It was nice to see."
Did he look like he had missed anything?
"About nine days," Dungy said. "He's doing fine. But as a coach, you never want to say it's okay to miss practice and it's not that big of a deal. If it was, we would've started (Wednesday) instead of 10 days ago."
Brooks said teammates' support made his holdout tolerable. He said concerns about his contract had made if difficult to concentrate on football.
"They knew it had been a problem for a while and they started to see where I was starting to get uncomfortable in the minicamps," Brooks said of his teammates. "Things just weren't the same with me. They gave me their support and that was important.
"The other thing is they knew I missed three weeks of camp in '99 with a sprained ankle so they weren't worried about me missing camp coming back and being ready because I sat out before."