BUCS NEWS!!!!

UPDATE: The Buccaneers have come to terms with first-rounder Gerald McCoy. On Saturday, McCoy signed his contract and is believed to be ready to practice on Saturday evening. The Bucs selected the Oklahoma DT with the third-overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. See what Coach Morris had to say about McCoy.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have now reeled in their biggest draft pick with the signing of defensive tackle Gerald McCoy. The Bucs first-rounder missed Saturday mornings opening training camp practice, but is believed to be ready to practice Saturday evening. Terms of McCoy's contract were not disclosed but the contract is reportedly a five-year contract.

Along with signing McCoy, Bucs general manager Mark Dominik was able to come to terms with left tackle Donald Penn on a multi-year deal on Saturday morning.

Getting multi-year contracts done for both Penn and McCoy over the same few hours is a major coup for Dominik. Two contract negotiations of that magnitude back-to-back is a major feat for any general manager, and it is rare in the NFL for teams to be able to accomplish to large and complicated contracts in the same time frame.

Coach Raheem Morris speak with the media after practice and said that he had no fears about a holdout from McCoy.

“You know I was never concerned about our rookie -- the first-rounder,” said Morris. “He understands how important he is. He understands his role, especially when you are talking about the third pick in the draft. You aren’t talking about a guy who got hosed. You aren’t talking about a guy that feels like he doesn’t belong or wanted. You are talking about the cornerstone to our defense. There is no secret behind it. I knew that deal was just a matter of time. That deal was the game the GMs and agents play…I try not to get involved. I go home and go to sleep and come the morning I find out that I got my left tackle. Now I get my three-technique here. That game does not concern me one bit. I am happy they agreed to terms and I look forward to him coming in and his arrival.”

The Bucs selected McCoy with the third overall pick in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. The Bucs decided to pair McCoy with another high-profile defensive tackle as the team selected UCLA’s Brian Price in the second round.

The 6-foot-4, 295-pound McCoy figures to be that superstar defensive tackle that the Bucs have not had since the days of Warren Sapp. McCoy, 22, has a wicked first step, can rush the passer and can stuff the run as well. McCoy, along with Price and second-year pro Roy Miller, are expected to help improve the Buccaneers defense tremendously that was ranked 27th in the NFL and was the 32nd-ranked run defense last season.

The Buccaneers are going to build their defense around McCoy, who will play the three-technique (under tackle) in Raheem Morris’ defense. However, McCoy is multifaceted along the defensive line having played nose tackle and defensive end during his collegiate career.

McCoy had 14.5 sacks during his time with the Sooners. He totaled 83 tackles, 33 tackles for a loss, four passes broken up, two forced fumbles, and one interception in his three seasons as a starter.

Last year, McCoy had six sacks, and did not record a multi-sack game during 2009. McCoy ended the season with 34 tackles, 15.5 tackles for a loss, two passes batted away, and one forced fumble. As a sophomore, McCoy had a career-high 6.5 sacks with 30 tackles, 11.5 tackles for a loss, two passes batted away, one interception, and no forced fumbles. McCoy was a leader on the Sooners defense that helped Oklahoma win the Big 12 and advance to the BCS National Championship Game as the number one ranked team in the nation in 2008.

The Buccaneers released offensive tackle James Williams.

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UPDATED: The Bucs have signed two long-term building blocks in LT Donald Penn and DT Gerald McCoy. The 27-year old Penn signed a six-year contract worth $43 million and is out practicing with the team. Read the comments from Penn, head coach Raheem Morris, and QB Josh Freeman.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have announced the signing of one of their long-term building blocks with the new contract for left tackle Donald Penn. Penn reportedly agreed to a six-year contract with a total value of the contract that is believed to be $43 million. After investing in a franchise quarterback in 2009 with Josh Freeman, the Bucs have made a major move to protect him with signing Penn long-term. The Buccaneers have also come to terms on a contract with first-round pick defensive tackle Gerald McCoy.

Penn's agent Rocky Arceneaux met with Bucs general manager Mark Dominik and director of football operations Digger Daley in a fast and furious negotiations that started late in the week and culminated in the contract signed on Saturday morning. Halfway through the first training camp practice of the year, Penn joined his teammates on the field.

"We are excited to sign Donald to a long-term contract, knowing that he will continue to be a part of what we are building here in Tampa," said Dominik. "He is a vital member of our team and we are anxious to see him back on the field."

Penn was happy about his new contract and spoke with the media after practice about his situation.

“I want to start off and thank the Glazers. I want to thank Mark Dominik, and Raheem Morris for getting this done. It has been long awaited, and I’m so happy this process is over,” said Penn. “I want thank my family and my agent. He is more than an agent. He’s a mentor. He did a lot of work that a lot of people don’t know about. I want to thank them and I’m so happy to be back with the fellas. I’ve been missing it out here. I don’t miss the weather too much.

“I was going to stay away from everything but I talked to my agent a couple of days ago and I told him ‘let’s see what you can do.’ I said ‘do whatever it takes.’ It kept getting closer. I’ve never missed a camp before. I don’t want to do that. That’s not the type of guy I am. I had a long talk with him. Let’s get it done. We’ll make some sacrifices if we need to, but let’s get it done.”

Penn explained his reasoning for wanting to get a contact done now rather than waiting for free agency next year.

“I have a 20-month old son at home. You never know what tomorrow is going to tell. Chad Jones was a great friend of mine. He still is a good friend of mine. You guys see what happened to him,” Penn said. “You never know what is going to happen the next day. You can try everything to be careful, and that was a freak accident. He couldn’t stop that if he wanted to. My family -- that was a big part. I wanted to get something now. Luckily, knock on wood, I haven’t been injury prone but what if I got hurt? Where would that have left me? That was one of big things. That was a big reason right there. It was well overdue. A lot was out of my control. If the CBA was in tact this would’ve been done a long time ago.

“I really wanted longevity. I was on a one-year deal the last three years. I wanted them to know that as an organization. I never talked bad about this organization. I love this organization. I’ve always said and you can look at past interviews I want to play my career here. I just want a commitment. That’s what I got that’s the main thing.”

Penn also addressed the weight gain issue and explained his motivations for wanting to trim down prior to rejoining the Bucs.

“You guys made it out to be like of my God it was 60 pounds, man how is somebody going to gain 60 pounds in a season,” said Penn. “I gained maybe 10 to 15. You guys blew it out of portion. I played well but I felt I could’ve played better. I knew before all this negotiation stuff we had a plan set up. In January I hired a nutritionist. I hired a trainer. I had that set up before negotiations or that stuff came up. Before I even got tendered I had this set up. I wanted to better me. Its’ not healthy to be this size and try and play in this heat. I did it for me. I didn’t do it for a contract. I did it to better me as a player and as a person. When I get older I want to still be able to go out there and run and beat my son in basketball.”

After the first practice, Coach Morris was excited to have his starting left tackle back on the field.

“It’s always good when something happens to our team,” said Morris. “We are big cheerleaders amongst each other. Everybody in that lockerroom wants each other to be rich. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. That’s never going to happen. But you never can knock a man that goes through what a guy like Donald Penn has been able to do. He came in this league as a free agent. He worked his way to making our football team and sticking. Then he became starter. Not only did he became a starter, he became a quality starter and now he is one of our guys that’s got the franchise label, so to speak, at the cornerstone position that we coveted so very highly. Now he has to go out there and just demand and be the best person that he can be and I have no doubt that he will be.”

Morris realizes how important it is to have Penn back out there to help protect quarterback Josh Freeman's blindside, but he also grasps the business side of football too and what Penn was going through.

“Penn has been an important part of this team the whole time,” said Morris. “I think he understood that. His family understood that. His agents understood that and that’s why he came to FanFest. That’s why he was around his team as much as he was. Those guys went to see him. We were in constant communication, whether it was through text messages or just banter with the young man. He is just excited. He walked out onto the field today and came up behind me and gave me a big bear hug It’s just what we have been the whole time. I understand the business of this game and that’s just what it was. It was just a business deal and now he is back with his family and is ready to go.”

Morris says that there are no concerns about Penn's weight gain from the end of last season. Penn has reported to training camp in good shape and Morris believes there will be no more problems in the future.

“I don’t [have any concerns] because I know the man’s character,” said Morris. “If he had weight gain or when he had weight gain, he put it under control and that is what he has been working on this whole time. So, for me, it is more about how he cares about his teammates and how much he actually cares about playing. He has a big weight lifted off his chest. There are two ways to look at this. He has a weight lifted off his chest and his family is secure. He knows he can be secure and he knows he is going to be here. There is no what if anymore. He’s a Buccaneer and hopefully he is a life-long Buccaneer."

Penn has started 44 straight games at left tackle since entering the lineup in 2007. In that time no Bucs quarterback has gone done with an injury due to a missed block by Penn. After playing on a one-year contract in 2008 and 2009, Penn was hoping to sign a long-term extension with Tampa Bay prior to the 2010 season. To express his displeasure with the lack of a long-term contract Penn had sat out the voluntary OTAs (organized team activities) and the mandatory mini-camp as well. Despite various specualtion the he would hold out into the season, Penn says that was not in his plans.

“To tell you guys the truth if it would’ve come down to it I wouldn’t have held out that long,” Penn said. “You got to get in football shape. I got a lot of pride so I didn’t want to come in and be behind and it takes me two or three games to get adjusted. I got too much pride. I talk too much trash and I have to be able to back it up.”

The Bucs owners, the Glazers, said that one of the reasons why the team had not spent a lot of money on players was because they did not have veteran players that were worthy of long-term contracts. Penn, 27, is regarded as one of the better left tackles in the NFC, and has been an effective pass protector for the Buccaneers quarterbacks.

The 6-foot-5, 325-pound Penn has lost 40 pounds this offseason after gaining weight during the 2009 season. Penn was over 360 pounds. Penn has shut-out some of the NFL best pass rushers including the Dallas Cowboys' DeMarcus Ware in consecutive seasons, and the Minnesota Vikings' Jared Allen in 2008. Freeman was excited to have his ace pass protector in the fold to protect his blind side.

“Oh yeah man he showed up mid-way through practice. I got to talk to him a little bit, and its great to see Donald back,” said Freeman. “I had been hearing rumors. This morning somebody told me they came to an agreement. It is an awesome deal. It works out great, and I’m real excited to get some more work with Donald.”

Penn was first acquired by the Buccaneers on October 4, 2006 when he was signed off the Minnesota Vikings practice squad. Dominik was the point-man for signing Penn away from Minnesota. The Vikings signed Penn out of Utah State as an undrafted free agent in May of 2006.

Getting multi-year contracts done for both Penn and McCoy over the same few hours is a major coup for Dominik. Two contract negotiations of that magnitude back-to-back is a major feat for any general manager, and it is rare in the NFL for teams to be able to accomplish to large and complicated contracts in the same time frame.

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Gerald McCoy joined his teammates for practice on Saturday after he signed his contract earlier in the day. Afterwards, McCoy spoke about working with ex-Bucs’ star Warren Sapp in the offseason and what he thinks the expectations for him and rookie Brian Price are from the Bucs.

The Gerald McCoy era in Tampa is officially underway.

On the first day of training camp, McCoy was able to get under contract with the Buccaneers to avoid a holdout. According to various media outlets, McCoy signed a five-year, $63 million deal early on Saturday morning. Even though he missed the morning practice, McCoy was on the field with his teammates for the Bucs' afternoon session.

Afterwards, McCoy expressed his joy for not only getting the contract done, but for also being able to play football again.

"It is like getting drafted again, actually. You just sit and wait," said McCoy. "You just sit and wait ‘til the call your name on draft day. You sit and wait ‘til they call your phone to sign the contract. Now that it is over, I can just play. After the draft I am came to OTAs and mini-camps and I could just play. Then there was a period of waiting again. Now the wait is over and I can just play ball."

McCoy's deal included $35 million in guaranteed money. While he thinks the money is nice, McCoy cares more about playing the game that he strives to be great at.

"The money is there, but like I always tell my family, the money is for them," said McCoy. "I work hard to take care of my family. My goal is to be the best football player I can be. I want to be in the Hall of Fame. I want to be a Pro Bowler. I want to be known as one of the best ever. That's what I want to do. By doing that, the money will come and I'll share it with my family. The money is the money. I'm not saying it's not great. Nobody is going to say it's not great, but I'm a football player and that's what I want to do.

"I don't really pay that much attention [to the money]. I knew it was something that had to get done in order for me to get here and that is what I wanted to do. I wanted to come out and help this team and get back to playing how Tampa plays. Tampa is really known for defense and that is what I want to come and get us back to. That's why it was so key for me to get here as soon as possible. The numbers, that's fine. Now, I can help my family out like I worked hard to do, but I'm here to play."

In order to get ready for his highly anticipated rookie season, McCoy went back to Oklahoma to train in their strength and conditioning program. But before he did that, McCoy got some work in with a former Bucs legend - Warren Sapp.

"It was great. The thing is I watched him on TV as a child, but I just knew he was Warren Sapp," said McCoy. "I used to watch those lineman challenges they use to have with him and Jason Taylor and John Randle. I used to watch and root for Sapp, but out there it is a little different because I can actually comprehend and understand what he was talking about. It was something that I didn't take for granted. I took it all in and I cherished those few moments we had because that is not something everybody gets. He went out of his way. He drove down here. He didn't make me come to him. He drove down here to meet me. So, it was real nice of him to do that.

"I worked out with him a little bit here when I was still here at OTAs. Everything he showed me I just went and worked on it. I worked on and worked and tried to perfect it. He showed me a lot of minor things. He said personally that he can't do it in one summer. We are going to have to keep working to get to where he thinks I can be. Just like he did. He just kept working and eventually he just got better to where he was unstoppable. And that is kind of where he wants me to be at, but he said it is going to take time."

McCoy, who was the third pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, and fellow rookie defensive tackle Brian Price, selected No. 35 overall, are being counted on to help turn the Bucs' defense around and get them back to being amongst the league's elite.

"Personally, I think we can be game-changers," said McCoy. "They didn't draft us to not be. They didn't draft us to be just another guy. They didn't draft us to just sit on the side and just come in here and there. They want us to be game-changers. That is what Sapp did. And they think I can have the same type of impact as him so that is what I was want to do. That was what they brought us here to do and I really think we can change this defense. I really do."

Now that the 6-foot-4, 295-pound McCoy is in camp, he can continue to get acclimated to the NFL level. Even after only one practice, McCoy can see the defense starting to return to form.

"Everything is coming together," said McCoy. "Now that we have all the pieces together, I was the last piece of the puzzle I guess you could say, you could just kind of feel the energy out there; how we are all turning this together. We are starting to make this rope. We want to take all these different strands and pull them together. Now this rope is starting to come together. Everybody is flying around and our defense is known for flying around. 11 hats to the ball, that is kind of what you sense is going on right now."

Bucs fans, get ready. It looks like Sapp's replacement has finally arrived.

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During the first two days of training camp, the Buccaneers have gotten a good look at their young, promising defensive tackles. Brian Price, the Bucs second-round pick, has impressed so far and gives his thoughts after his first fews day. Coach Morris also chimes in on his rookie defensive tackles.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have gotten a good look early on in training camp at what their future possibly holds. The team spent their first two picks in the 2010 NFL Draft on defensive tackles and the early buzz on them has been positive. Gerald McCoy was drafted third overall back in April and with their next pick the Bucs selected Brian Price out of UCLA.

The Bucs seemed to get a steal with the drafting of Price. Graded as a mid first-rounder heading into the draft, Price slipped into the second round and was selected No. 35 overall by the Bucs.

After the first day of training camp head coach Raheem Morris said Price "wrecked practice." Price looked down right dominant at times and did not have the look of a rookie who practicing for the first time with pads on at the NFL level.

Price continued to show his potential on Sunday and thinks he did just a well as he did the day before.

"I feel the same today," said Price. "I am just coming up here and doing my job. They drafted me for a reason. I'm just trying to play team ball and do what I came to do."

Even though he missed some time during OTAs because of a hamstring injury that he suffered during rookie mini-camp, Price has still been able to impress the coaching staff. Despite his impressions performance so far, Price feels like he is not quite back to being normal yet.

"I'm not 100 percent yet, but I'm feeling good out here," said Price. "I'm just going 100 percent."

Price is a versatile lineman who can play multiple positions along the defensive line. With McCoy starting at the three-technique though, Price figures to get his fair share of playing time at the nose tackle position.

McCoy recently said that the Buccaneers want him and Price to be "game-changers" and Price seems to feel the same way as his fellow rookie.

"The drafted us for a reason so we have to get after it. We have a chance to be the best tandem [in the NFL] and that is what we are working for in the future. We have some big shoes to fill, but we are coming out here and getting after it. We get pushed hard and it works."

Coach Morris is excited to have the two high-profile rookies on his D-line and looks forward to seeing their development in camp.

"It is really fun to stand back there on the offensive side of the ball like I was able to do today and focus in and watch those two guys compete," said Morris. "It definitely helps to have those two guys in there and have that fight for their life mentality even though they aren't really. But they have that mentality and it is an awesome thing.

"It's two different personalities as well. One is more flamboyant and one is more of a laid back, west coast kind of guy and it's a nice mixture. I think they are forming in there that's special... Everybody is feeling it and I think that position group is starting to grow."

The 6-foot-1, 303-pound Price is looking forward to playing a major part in helping the Buccaneers defense get back to their glory days. In order to do that, Price is looking to his teammates to help him stay hungry.

"The guys that are around you [help motivate you]," said Price. "You have to push each other. It's hard to do it on your own, but when you have guys like I mentioned before [Roy Miller, Dre Moore, and Ryan Sims] everything works out. Our coaches are always firing us up to find a way to get it out of us."

The UCLA product is also not shying away from the pressures that come with being a high draft pick and a potential cornerstone that the Buccaneers hope to build around.

"I look forward to it. It is fun," said Price. "Reaching your goals is fun and that's why a lot of guys deterred from their dreams because they think it is hard or whatever. But we have great guys here that are helping us learn and helping us get through. So, I look forward to reaching all my goals and just coming out here and winning."

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Stylez G White on Training Camp

It was hot. The first day of training camp was hot.

Hot. Hot. Hot.

It was challenging getting back into the swing of things. Did I mention it was hot?

I’m not feeling like I’m 31, though (my birthday was last Sunday). On Friday I felt like I was 31. On Saturday I felt like I’m 30 and a half. I feel a little better. I’m out here working. It’s kind of fun being out here in this weather and getting close to all these guys. It’s exciting.

After Gerald McCoy got signed I gave him my pads and helmet after the afternoon practice. I was going to immediately come to PewterReport.com and let you all know if he didn’t carry them, but he did. He carried them, though, so he’s a good rookie. Everything’s good.

Carrying pads is a necessary evil. I had to do it. Everybody has to do it. When you come into the league – don’t get me wrong, he’s getting paid more than just about everybody on the damn Earth – you’ve got to pay your dues. He hasn’t played a down of NFL football yet. He’s got to pay his dues and he’s doing a great job of it so far.

The highlight of practice for me on Saturday was when we went to the cool down trailer. Raheem [Morris] kind of let us know it was coming, but it was still a bit of a surprise. I remember having that trailer out in Orlando under [former head coach Jon] Gruden and it was cool – literally. We need to be careful with that trailer because it’s so nice and cool in there you can easily fall asleep.

I mean, it’s 70 degrees in there and over 100 degrees out on the field. It’s real nice – until you have to go back out to the 100-degree temps again. I’ll take it, though. I’ll take any bone they can throw at us during training camp.

I went against Demar Dotson in the morning. He was trying his best, but he feels more natural on the right side and he was back over there this afternoon. Donald Penn came back today and he lost a couple pounds so I had to bull rush him just to check his weight out. He’s still squishy, but he’s less squishy then he was last year.

I went against Penn in the 1-on-1’s in the afternoon and I won the first battle with my bull rush. Penn fell on me on the second one because he was mad at me because I got him on a bull rush. Some might call it a pancake block. I knew he was going to do that. It was a dirty play … but I forgive him! Ha!

Seriously, it’s good to have Penn back. He’s going to make me better and I’m going to make him better. It’s going to make the team better. It’s great. It’s good for everybody, especially Josh Freeman.

Brian Price did pretty well in the morning. He’s kind of got some fresh legs. He’s got to learn the system, though. He’s playing pretty well, but he’s going full speed and not knowing what he’s doing all the time. Once he learns the system, he’s going to be really good.

Ryan Sims and I are the only veterans left on the defensive line. We’re the only guys that have been with the Bucs longer than one year along the D-line. The young guys are real professionals, though. They follow suit, so that’s good.

I love the part between practices because I get to eat. We eat, get off your feet, eat some more and go through about six hours of meetings (it’s really two hours but it feels like six). Then we come out here and practice in the afternoon.

My D-line coach, Coach [Todd] Wash, was taking it pretty easy on the young guys. It was the first day of training camp. Give him until next Saturday and he’ll become his old, normal, cheery self. I use cheery for the lack of a better word. He’ll start getting on the young guys like he does us vets.

Saturday was a good day of practice. Gruden used to ease us into pads by having the first couple of days be just helmets and shorts like the OTAs. Coach Morris likes to jump right in with the pads from day one. It doesn’t really matter to me. It’s fine with me to dive right in with the pads. We’re trying to get better fast, so why not? It doesn’t make a difference. It’s training camp.

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Mike Williams Practicing as Number 1 Receiver already!!!!!!!!!

Head Coach Raheem Morris confirmed during his press conference on Sunday that rookie wide receiver Mike Williams is practicing as the team's No. 1 receiver during training camp.

Williams, drafted by the Bucs in the fourth-round of the 2010 NFL Draft, had a very impressive offseason and his hard work seems to be paying off.

"He has been working at the X-position with the ones (first team offense)," said Morris. "He has been out there a lot of the time... and Mike Williams had a dynamic offseason. He has come in and done everything we have asked. He has been one of the guys that has caught the ball, stood out and has been standing out since he has been here."

Morris continued to praise the Syracuse product.

"He is a big, tall, fast guy that can go out there and make plays and right now he is running with the ones," said Morris. "So, he will have an opportunity to prove himself in the preseason and final depth charts won't come out until we play Cleveland, but right now he is getting his reps with the ones and he is having a ball. And his teammates are having a ball with him."

Freeman has been building a strong rapport with Williams so far and it looks like the Bucs' coaching staff is realizing that.

The Freeman-to Williams connection could become deadly as they continue to grow together heading into the season.

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