Bereft of backups only a month ago, the Tampa Bay Bucs are suddenly deep at the reserve quarterback position now, with ESPN.com confirming Friday that the Super Bowl champions have reached a contract agreement to retain four-year veteran Shaun King.

The team's starter in 2000, King tested the unrestricted free agent market, but did not generate consideration for any starting jobs, as he had hoped. Given that situation, he opted to re-up with the Bucs on a one-year deal, and King will be eligible for unrestricted free agency again next spring.

"His feeling was that, if he was going to be a No. 2 anywhere, it might as well be with the Bucs," agent Eugene Parker said. "He likes it there, he knows the system and enjoys playing for (coach Jon) Gruden, and feels like he can get another Super Bowl ring."

Financial details of the contract were not immediately available.

King, 25, joins a pair of recent roster additions, former Chicago starter Jim Miller and journeyman Shane Matthews, in the battle for the No. 2 position on the depth chart, behind starter Brad Johnson. But his familiarity with the offense, and with Gruden's staff, certainly provide him a notable edge.

Miller underwent offseason shoulder surgery to repair a rotator cuff injury and probably won't be able to throw with velocity until June or July.

Even toward the end of last season, with King on the cusp of free agency, Gruden was urging him to stay. But the four-year veteran felt he owed it to himself to at least seek out any possible starting openings. King noted at the Super Bowl that, if he could not start elsewhere, his preference would be to return to the Bucs on a short-term deal.

"There's a comfort zone (in Tampa Bay)," he said. "But if you are any kind of competitor, and I am, you always want to be the starter. But I also know I have the respect of this organization and that means something to me."

The former Tulane standout, selected in the second round of the 1999 draft after leading the Green Wave to an undefeated season as a senior, started all 16 games for Tampa Bay in 2000. He led the team to a 10-6 record to a wild-card berth that season.

King has played in 28 games, and started 22, and owns a 14-8 record as the Bucs' starter. He has completed 353 of 632 passes for 3,934 yards, with 25 touchdown passes, 19 interceptions and a passer rating of 75.2.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.