Bucs Use $7.5 million Decoy to Nab Their Quarterback

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers entered the first round of the 2009 draft with the expectations of selecting a quarterback. It was highly unlikely that either Matthew Stafford or Mark Sanchez would fall close enough to their position at 19, so the main focus was on Kansas State’s Josh Freeman.

As their target began to move down the board, sliding towards the possible quarterback nabbing Broncos, the Bucs pounced, trading with the Browns to occupy the 17th spot. But to ensure that there would be no bidding war with anyone also having interest in a trade to obtain their prospect, they signed a $7.5 million decoy to give the impression of a priority change.

Less than two weeks ago, Tampa Bay signed Byron Leftwich to a 2-year deal with $7.5 million in possible earnings. It’s unlikely that he’ll see any significant portion of that money. He was nothing more than a pawn in the draft game. And if you don’t believe me, I’m sure Josh Freeman’s words are more convincing.  As the newly selected quarterback addressed the media, he had this to say about the earlier acquisition of Byron Leftwich:

“They told me it was a smokescreen, everybody would think they didn’t want a QB,” Freeman said. “They said they were ready to trade up. It worked out great.”

Leftwich is due a large roster bonus in 2010, but unfortunately, he’ll never see the check. There is nothing guaranteed in his contract, and the Bucs are free to release him without taking a cap hit.

So, in the end, after arriving in Tampa Bay with expectations of leading the franchise for the next two years, and collecting a nice sum of money in doing so, Leftwich finds that he’s nothing more than a casualty of the draft war.

The Bucs now have 5 quarterbacks. And by the end of August, Leftwich may be searching for new employment in a market drastically reduced for his position.  It’s business, and just another example of how quickly one can go from Super Bowl champ to free agency chump in the NFL world.

Join in the discussion on this and other topics in the NEW Sports Jabber Forums!