Tampa Bay restricted free agent middle linebacker Barrett Ruud spoke to the media on Monday about his displeasure with the Buccaneers over extending the contract of fellow restricted free agent Donald Penn. Penn, a left tackle, was signed to a six-year, $43 million deal on Saturday while Ruud is forced to wait his turn.
Restricted free agent Bucs middle linebacker Barrett Ruud successfully dodged the media for two days, but finally publicly addressed the fact that left tackle Donald Penn, a fellow restricted free agent, was signed to a six-year extension worth a reported $43 million on Saturday after holding out during the team's offseason workouts.
“Obviously, I’m very disappointed,” Ruud told the Tampa Tribune. “I’m not real happy about it. I’m very happy for Donald and I’m very happy for Gerald [McCoy]. Very happy for all the guys who signed the last couple of years, but definitely it’s pretty frustrating on my end.”
On Friday, Ruud was openly expressing solidarity with his decision to hold out of training camp.
“I fully support Donald, and hopefully things get worked out," Ruud said. "That’s all I know about that part. … Until you get a decent contract, you kind of think about that every year. For a lot of guys they think about it from the time they are a rookie to the time they do sign a little bit more of a long-term deal. I can’t speak for guys who have had a couple of big contracts, but I think there’s always a lot of pressure on you. This league is so competitive, and it’s usually not a lot of guaranteed money – not like baseball or basketball where everything is guaranteed. I think you’re always under a lot of pressure from everybody to play well.”
But Ruud’s tune clearly changed after Penn’s extension although the signing of Penn to a contact extension won’t prompt the middle linebacker to leave camp and hold out.
“I’m already here now,” Ruud told the Tampa Tribune. “I’m here. I’m working. ... "It’s too late for that. It has worked out like it has so far, which was frustrating for me.”
Ruud, a former second-round pick in 2005, held out of the offseason workouts last year while attempting to get a long-term contract extension before his contract expired in 2010, but did report for training camp and started all 16 games. He signed a one-year tender this past April worth $3.268 million as a restricted free agent because he is only a fifth-year player.
Ruud has recorded 615 tackles (385 solo), five interceptions, four forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and three sacks in the 79 games (52 starts) he’s played with the Buccaneers.
“You would like your results to speak for themselves,” Ruud said. “I think I’ve done pretty well for 48 games and I’m going to play well for 72 games or whatever it’s going to be. I’m not going to stop playing well until I stop playing. You always want to be rewarded for your performance. That’s the bottom line.”
Ruud wouldn’t say if the Bucs’ decision to extend Penn, but not him, would influence his decision to sign elsewhere in 2011 when he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
“I don’t set any definite rules of any kind,” Ruud said. “As of now, I’m here working. I’m going to do the same thing I’ve always done. I’m going to get a little better every day. I’m going to keep letting my performance talk for me. Whatever happens – happens.”
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The Buccaneers are heading into 2010 with second-year quarterback Josh Freeman as their unquestioned leader. Head coach Raheem Morris sees improvement out of Freeman and says his receivers are "flocking" to him. Find out what WRs Williams and Brown says about developing a relationship with him.
The face of the franchise in Tampa Bay is a 22-year old quarterback with only nine career starts under his belt. Second-year QB Josh Freeman is the unquestioned starter and leader of the Buccaneers, a team that is trying to move on from a disappointing 3-13 season last year.
This training camp is all about building upon what Freeman started last year. He won his first career start against Green Bay at Raymond James Stadium and finished his rookie season 3-6 as a starter with 1,855 yards, 10 touchdowns and 18 interceptions.
Head coach Raheem Morris has said repeatedly, "it starts with No. 5" and Freeman seems to be pleasing the man overseeing everything thus far in practice.
"He has gotten progressively better throughout camp. We thought that would come," said Morris. "He came out that first day with the jitters... and he didn't look as good. He didn't go through his progressions well, but today and yesterday he did a better job of getting better. He's do well and you just have to get better and better everyday. Once we stop installing, you will get a chance to really see him excel even more."
Freeman, the Bucs first-round pick in 2009, will enter the 2010 season with a lot of fresh faces around him. Antonio Bryant, Freeman's No. 1 receiver last season, left via free agency. This offseason, the Bucs traded for wide receiver Reggie Brown and drafted receivers Arrelious Benn and Mike Williams to help surround Freeman with some playmakers.
The receivers have embraced Freeman so far and are forming a bond with their 6-foot-6, 248-pound signal caller.
"The chemistry that that group has and the pride that they are displaying comes as a reflection of their coach -- Coach [Eric] Yarber," said Morris. "It's been awesome because they are all flocking to Josh. They all want to catch more balls from Josh because they know that's their opportunity to and they want him to say, ‘Hey, that's my favorite target.' It's a beautiful thing."
One player that Freeman has taken a liking to is rookie Mike Williams. Williams, drafted by the Bucs in the fourth-round of the 2010 NFL Draft, seems to be Freeman's favorite target and the two of them have hooked up on some deep balls repeatedly in practice so far.
The Syracuse product Williams has been putting in the time with Freeman since he joined the Bucs and results have been paying off.
"It's just extra work," said Williams. "Sometimes, out here in practice we don't even get a chance to hook-up with each other so, after practice [we are] in the hotel rooms talking to each other. Extra work - that's what gives you that great friendship with a quarterback."
Newcomer Reggie Brown, acquired via trade from the Philadelphia Eagles, likes what he sees in his new quarterback and can tell that Freeman is establishing himself as the general of the offense.
"I think he is coming along great," Brown said. "He has been making real good decisions. His reads are coming along real well. He always has the arm strength and his presence there. He is becoming a leader now. I think he understands his role as a quarterback on this team and I think he has accepted that and he's done a great job so far."
The personality and potential are there. Now all Freeman has to do is put it all together on Sundays and prove to everyone that he can be what everyone thinks he is -- a franchise quarterback.
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