Bucs Update... Bucs Sign Grimm

The Buccaneers continued to get their rookies under contract with the signing of safety Cody Grimm. Tampa Bay took the Virginia Tech product Grimm with their first pick in the seventh round of the 2010 NFL Draft. To make room on the Bucs roster the team released safety Dennis Rogan.

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The Buccaneers continued to get their 2010 rookie class under contract before the start of training camp with the signing of safety Cody Grimm. The Virginia Tech product Grimm was the first player that Tampa Bay drafted in the seventh round with the 210th overall pick. Grimm will be competing for a roster spot with backup safeties Corey Lynch, De'Von Hall, and Matt O'Hanlon.

After taking Grimm, the Bucs went on to select linebacker Dekoda Watson and defensive end Erik Lorig in the seventh round. As a senior Grimm (6-1, 203) made 106 tackles with 12.5 tackles for a loss, four sacks, seven forced fumbles, and five passes broken up. Against North Carolina State Grimm had three forced fumbles.

Grimm is the son of Hall-of-Fame offensive linemen and current coach with the Arizona Cardinals Russ Grimm. Cody Grimm almost ended up playing for his father's team, but could play against Arizona next season if he makes the Bucs 53-man roster.

"It is going to be awesome. My dad called me in the sixth round and said they were talking about drafting me," Grimm said on draft day. "But the bottom line is they didn't, so if I get the opportunity to play against them. I obviously want to stick it to them."

Grimm comes from a college program that has earned a reputation of playing excellent special teams. Grimm knows that he must excel there in order to make the Buccaneers 53-man roster. There is a degree of continuity that should help Grimm make the team.

In high school and college Grimm was the personal protector for punter Brent Bowden. Tampa Bay selected Bowden a round before they took Grimm, and during the Bucs' spring practices Grimm was once again serving as Bowden's personal protector, although Grimm was the backup at that position behind running back/returner Clifton Smith.

Grimm is the sixth draft pick that the Buccaneers have signed. Previously Tampa Bay signed: wide receiver Mike Williams (fourth round), cornerback Myron Lewis (third round), defensive end Erik Lorig (seventh round), linebacker Dekoda Watson (seventh round), and punter Brent Bowden (sixth round). The Bucs only have one rookie left to sign; first round defensive tackle Gerald McCoy.

To make room on the Bucs roster the team released safety Dennis Rogan. He was signed by the team as an undrafted free agent on April 26.

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McCoy deal close to getting done

With the start of training camp just days away, teams across the NFL are working hard to sign their first-round picks. Tampa Bay general manager Mark Dominik is trying to do just that with third-overall pick Gerald McCoy. The Oklahoma defensive tackle has hinted that his contract may not get done until his former college teammate Sam Bradford signs his contract with the St. Louis Rams. Bradford was the number one overall pick in last April's draft. One issue that the Bucs and McCoy are going to have to agree on is the length of the contract.

“We’re still internally wrestling between a five and six year deal,'' Dominik said. "It's always difficult when you're at the top of the first round. You've got to make a decision whiich is better for you and the club. That’s difficult enough as it is. Then you have issues like how you structure the contract, how to pay everything out. That can take a little time. There's so many moving parts to top five, top 10 deals. It makes them more difficult.

"But at the end of the day, every year these deals do get done on time for the most part.''