Holdout McCardell gets his way, dealt to Chargers for picks
TAMPA, Fla. -- Keenan McCardell wanted out of Tampa Bay, and the Buccaneers obliged Tuesday by trading the NFL's last holdout to the San Diego Chargers for two picks in next year's draft.
"Keenan obviously made a decision a long time ago that he was not going to be happy with the economics of his contract," Bucs general manager Bruce Allen said.
"I don't think we need that coming back to the locker room, whenever he was going to come back. I've heard different dates. I don't think we'll ever know the answer to that."
McCardell stayed away from training camp and vowed to sit out the entire season if the Bucs did not give him a substantial raise over the $2.5 million he was scheduled to earn under a contract that also would have paid him $2.75 million in 2005.
The 34-year-old McCardell accumulated $185,000 in fines during training camp and lost $882,360 in salary for missing the first six games of the regular season. In all, his holdout lasted 82 days.
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| The Chargers have immediate need for Keenan McCardell.(AP) |
"Keenan made a business decision and it could cost him a lot of money," Allen said. "None of the grievances have been waived. I hope for him, he's happy. I really do."
The deal with the Chargers, who gave up third- and sixth-round draft picks in 2005, came just over a week after McCardell flew to Tampa from his home in Houston to meet with coach Jon Gruden in an unsuccessful bid to end the stalemate.
With the two-time Pro Bowl selection holding out and Joe Jurevicius and Joey Galloway injured, the Bucs have had to rely more than they originally expected on rookie wideout Michael Clayton.
Clayton had eight receptions for 142 yards in Monday night's 28-21 loss to the St. Louis Rams. His emergence, as well as the prospect of getting Jurevicius and Galloway back into the lineup soon, played a role in the decision to move McCardell.
The trade is timely for San Diego, too. The Chargers' leading wide receiver, Reche Caldwell, hurt his right knee in a 21-20 loss at Atlanta and is out for the season, although general manager A.J. Smith said the acquisition of McCardell had nothing to do with the injury.
"We had an opportunity to add a terrific player. I'm sure we all knew it wasn't going to resolve itself in Tampa," Smith said. "Over the weekend there were some developments and we had an opportunity to jump in on this thing."
