The Tampa Bay Buccaneers continued their busy run through free agency on Wednesday, agreeing to terms with former New Orleans Saints guard Carl Nicks on a five-year, $47.5 million deal, the team announced on its official website.
Nicks, a two-time first-team All-Pro, has spent the past four years starting at guard for the Saints, and now will get the chance to play against his former team twice a year for the next five seasons.
It continued a furious free-agency period for the Bucs, who made a splash Tuesday when they signed wide receiver Vincent Jackson to a five-year contract, worth just under $56 million, with $26 million guaranteed, per NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora.
Nicks started 13 games as a rookie in 2008 and every game since for the Saints. The 26-year-old guard was determined to cash in.
"I don't wanna sound cocky or anything, but I busted my butt for four years, I made a couple Pro Bowls," he told WWL in New Orleans this week. "For my first three years, I was the lowest-paid guard of all the starting guards in the NFL. And I never complained, I never held out, I came in early to sign my tender when no one else was doing that."
The Bucs entered free agency with the most salary-cap room in the NFL -- $44.9 million -- according to La Canfora, who reported Wednesday that they haven't slowed down. Along with Jackson and Nicks, the team agreed to terms with cornerback Eric Wright, who has played for the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns during his five-year career.
