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Bucs Sign QB Johnson For Five Years

March 6, 2001 / 12:29 PM EST / CBS/AP

For a team professing to be comfortable with its quarterback situation, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sure have done a lot to suggest otherwise.

Last week, they claimed former San Diego Chargers bad boy Ryan Leaf off waivers. And Monday, free agent Brad Johnson agreed to a five-year, $28 million deal that sacks Shaun King as the starter.

"Obviously, they feel they need to make a commitment at that position, to make that position stronger. That is not saying that Shaun is completely out of the mix," receiver Keyshawn Johnson said. "Any time you get a player of Brad's caliber, you increase your chances of winning a championship."

The team confirmed general manager Rich McKay struck a deal with Johnson, who was also pursued by the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens, the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals.

Nevertheless, Bucs officials said they would withhold comment on the development until Johnson, who spent the past two seasons with the Washington Redskins, signs a contract.

The player's agent, Phil Williams, said there was no single factor that led the nine-year veteran to pick Tampa Bay over the Ravens.

The quarterback is a friend of Baltimore coach Brian Billick, who was Johnson's offensive coordinator with the Minnesota Vikings. But he also had previous ties to Bucs coach Tony Dungy, who was Minnesota's defensive coordinator before moving to Tampa Bay.

"Brad always liked the Buccaneers because of Tony and he liked the Ravens because of Brian," Williams said, playing down a suggestion that Johnson rebuffed the Ravens, who also have been courting former Kansas City quarterback Elvis Grbac.

The deal, first reported by CNN-SI on its Web site, includes a $6.5 million signing bonus and a base salary of $750,000 next season. Nearly half the contract, including a $3.5 million salary and $2 million roster bonus in 200, would be paid in the first two years.

The Ravens, thought to have the inside track when the free-agent signing period opened last week, reportedly offered Johnson and Grbac identical packages worth about $22 million for four years.

In the Bucs, Johnson joins a team that has had one of the NFL's top defenses the last five seasons. But offense has kept the team from achieving more under Dungy.

"Any time you sign a player of his caliber, you think you are getting better," linebacker Derrick Brooks said. "He is a good athlete, but most importantly he goes out to win and he has won a lot of games as a starter in this league."

Although McKay suggested last week that signing a quarterback wasn't necessarily a priority because the Bucs were happy with King as their starter, the acquisition of Johnson wasn't a surprise.

King helped Tampa Bay reach the NFC championship game as a rookie two years ago. But he was inconsistent in a 10-6 regular season in 2000 and played poorly in a first-round playoff loss to Philadelphia.

The Bucs claimed Leaf off waivers last Friday. But McKay reiterated Monday that the club does not consider him a solution to their concerns on offense.

"We wouldn't bring Ryan in here and say that you have to play tomorrow ... We're looking at this more as developmental see where you are as a football player and let's try to get better and use your talents," McKay said.