No Time for the Bucs to Be Rude to Ruud

This is no time for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to be rude to Barrett Ruud.

Yes, the Barrett Ruud—he of the middle linebacker position. The Barrett Ruud who calls the defensive signals. The Barrett Ruud who is simply the team's leading tackler.

This rapidly-approaching 2009 season is the final year of Ruud's contract, and he wants an extension.

And he deserves one, emphatically.

He is slated to earn $1.6 million this season. He played for $523,840 in 2008 and a lowly $440,880 in 2007.

The Buccaneers' Web site sings his praises. His 178 tackles led the team last year. He registered 18 tackles against Kansas City. He led the team with 169 in 2007. He gets better with time.

Why extend him now?

General Manager Mark Dominik, the newbie sidekick to rookie coach Raheem Morris, has already made some amazing donations to some questionable characters.

Buccaneer Nation is still trying to believe that he dropped $10 million in guaranteed money on receiver Michael Clayton, a proven underachiever if there ever was one. He blessed Clayton with a five-year, $24 million deal. 

Yikes!

If that's not enough, Dominik bestowed $3 million on the surgically-repaired linebacker from Buffalo, Angleo Crowell, for the 2009 season. Thank goodness it's only a one-year deal. Still, he's rewarded, and Ruud is waiting for his just due.

Not finished yet with Dominik. Enter he of dubious character and performance—the infamous Kellen Winslow Jr. Winslow hit the lottery in Tampa. The Bucs not only surrendered a second-round draft pick for him, they dropped $20.1 million in guaranteed money in the lap of "soulja boy."

Winslow will receive $5.17 million this season and $6.725 million in 2010.

Someone please tell us it's not true. Sadly, it is.

It is time for Tampa Bay to cut to the chase and pay Barrett Ruud.

Time to pay him UNLESS, UNLESS new defensive coordinator Jim Bates thinks Ruud is not his guy to lead the linebacking corps in the new defensive scheme.

That is a hard circumstance to imagine.

It should be totally expected that Ruud will not show up at training camp without a new contract.

He shouldn't.

And who would blame him?

He's skipped the OTAs, and he should.

Time to tear up the old contract and write up a new one.

Pay Barrett Ruud.

The Buccaneers need him in camp to set the tone.

They need his leadership and performance on this revamped defense that is basically a totally unknown entity at this point in time.

Time to pay Barrett Ruud.

It's the only sensible thing to do.