With Price Inked, Now The Real Challenge Begins: Getting McCoy Signed

Brian Price is the highest selected member of the 2010 NFL draft class to sign at this point. Accolades are due him for that, and career expectations are high for him…

And that other guy who was selected by the Buccaneers in April: Defensive tackle Gerald McCoy. Buc’em has a post up talking about Price’s signing and the situation with McCoy — what McCoy is waiting for with signing and what is dictating other high draft picks from not signing. Sam Bradford is part of the reason, but so is this:

The sticking point on contracts seem to be the new CBA (duh), the potential for no 2011 season and option bonuses. Some guaranteed money is pushed into season 2 of a deal and payable upon the first few days of the NFL calendar. With potentially no 2011 season (Year 2 for McCoy and cohorts), players are reluctant to structure contracts the same way. They could lose out on millions of “guaranteed” money.

A few days ago, JoeBucsFan had quotes from McCoy highlighting this issue of Money and the CBA:

How are contract discussions coming?

(shrugs shoulders) I definitely want to be on time, but we just have to see how it goes.

What do you think of former teammate Sam Bradford’s contract situation?

King Sam! Sam will get his deal done. I think Sam will be there, and as soon as Sam gets his deal done, mine will be done.

Are you waiting on Sam to sign?

It’s kind of one of those deals where you would rather let the first pick sign first. You don’t want to do your deal first and his contract is way higher than yours. But if you waited yours would have been higher.

While McCoy has come off as a charismatic and delightful person (with a nasty streak when on field), it appears that in the end, money makes the world go round.

Brian Price Signed To 4 Year Deal

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers added another piece to their puzzle with the signing of Brian Price. Price signed a four-year contract with the team. The Bucs selected the UCLA defensive tackle with their first pick in the second round (35th overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft. He was the second defensive tackle drafted by the Bucs after the team picked Oklahoma’s Gerald McCoy with the third-overall pick.

Price becomes the highest draft pick to sign as there remains a logjam of unsigned first- and second-round picks across the league.

The Bucs now have three unsigned draft picks remaining: McCoy, second-round pick Arrelious Benn and seventh-rounder Cody Grimm. The signing of Grimm is likely simply a matter of time, but Benn and McCoy figure to take longer.