Simms & Bucs close to two year deal...

Originally Posted by ESPN

Simms

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Chris Simms' future did not look bright when his season ended with a serious spleen injury in Week 3, and many speculated it could end his career as the Bucs quarterback.

Instead, the Bucs are close to a two-year agreement with Simms that will virtually guarantee him $5 million in 2007 with a chance to earn another $1.5 million in playtime incentives, sources told ESPN's Chris Mortensen.

Counting all incentives and an escalator clause, Simms could earn about $10 million during the two years, with $7 million of that in base salary and a signing bonus.

The Bucs and Simms were hoping to finalize the deal on Saturday, Mortensen reported. That would take the quarterback off the free agent market next March.

Simms has been sidelined since having his spleen removed after taking several hard hits during a loss to Carolina on Sept. 24. He was hopeful of playing again this season until doctors told him that the earliest he might be able to return would be late December.

Rookie Bruce Gradkowski replaced Simms but struggled midseason and was replaced by seven-year veteran Tim Rattay.

Tampa Bay is 3-11 going into Week 16 with no chance of making a playoff appearance. They face the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

Originally Posted by Rotoworld.com

Bucs signed QB Chris Simms to a two-year contract extension.

The St. Petersburg Times reports the deal can reach $14.5 million. With the only other quarterbacks set to be on Tampa Bay's roster (Tim Rattay is an impending free agent) Bruce Gradkowski and Luke McCown, Simms is the early favorite to start in 2007. McCown would be the one to go if Tampa brings in a veteran like Jake Plummer for competition.