Carl Nicks Signs with Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Deal Analysis and Grade

All along, Carl Nicks wanted to become the highest-paid guard in the NFL. 

The suddenly free-spending Tampa Bay Buccaneers made that dream a reality Wednesday morning.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Bucs agreed to a five-year, $47.5 million deal with Nicks that will make him the league's most wealthy guard. The deal also includes a staggering $31 million in guaranteed money.

The deal tops what New England paid Logan Mankins in both annual salary and guaranteed money. In August of last year, Mankins agreed to a six-year, $51 million deal with $30 million in guaranteed money. 

It was a considerable price to pay, but the Buccaneers have now signed the top free-agent receiver in Vincent Jackson and guard in Nicks, plus cornerback Eric Wright, one of the top-5 available players at that position. Needless to say, it's been a busy couple of days for the Buccaneers, who are desperately trying to bounce back from a disappointing 4-12 season in 2011.

Feeling a little spurned by what the New Orleans Saints had offered early on, Nicks scheduled his first visit with the Bucs late Tuesday night. Less than 24 hours later, Nicks was signing on the dotted line in Tampa Bay. As we've seen again, securing a top free-agent's first visit remains an important step in signing players of Nicks' caliber.

With Nicks on board, the Bucs can now plug him in at left guard to solidify one of the NFL's best offensive lines in Tampa Bay. Right guard Davin Joseph and tackle Donald Penn are fellow Pro Bowl teammates of Nicks, who has been selected to the team in back-to-back seasons.

According to Pro Football Focus, a site that grades every player on every play, the Buccaneers are getting one of the game's best guards.

PFF rated Nicks as the No. 2 overall guard in 2011, No. 1 in 2010 and No. 4 in 2009. No other guard in the NFL was graded by PFF in the top-5 for all three seasons.

Paying guards can be a risky endeavor, but there's clearly no other player at that position more worthy of big bucks than Nicks. And while I don't think that the value of Nicks' contract will equal the impact he'll bring, the Bucs are smartly being aggressive this spring at improving a roster that underachieved in 2011.

With Nicks, Jackson and Wright on board, plus the No. 5 overall pick in April's draft yet to be selected, Tampa Bay should make a big jump back into NFL relevancy in 2012.

Grade: B+