Friday, March 2
Bucs were only team to put in claim for Leaf



TAMPA, Fla. – Ryan Leaf, a bust during three troubled seasons with the San Diego Chargers, will get a chance to revive his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Ryan Leaf
Ryan Leaf gets a chance at redemption in Tampa.

The Bucs claimed the bad-boy quarterback off waivers Friday, saying they wanted to take what would amount to a "free look" at the second pick in the 1998 NFL draft.

"It is a very unique opportunity when a player of Ryan Leaf's ability is put on the wire, allowing a team to claim him," general manager Rich McKay said.

"We liked Ryan a lot coming out of college and have a pretty good understanding of some of the problems he has experienced over the last couple of years. For us, this could be a short-term free look, but his abilities warrant that we perform due diligence."

Leaf was released Wednesday, leaving the Chargers with a 4-14 record as a starter and paving the way for San Diego to possibly select Virginia Tech's Michael Vick with the No. 1 pick in next month's draft.

The Chargers still owe Leaf, who has thrown more than twice as many interceptions (33) as touchdown passes (13) the final $2.95 million installment of an $11.25 million signing bonus included as part of a deal potentially worth $31.25 million.

The Bucs were the only team to put in a claim for him. Leaf's base salary would be $1.5 million for 2001, however the move may only wind up costing Tampa Bay the $100 waiver fee.

"We won't owe him anything unless he makes the team," McKay said.

Leaf is honeymooning in Tahiti and not due home until next week, when the Bucs plan to meet with the quarterback and his agent, Leigh Steinberg. The team will decide the next step, based on those conversations.

Steinberg is optimistic about the prospect of Leaf getting his career back on track in Tampa Bay.

"That didn't take long did it?" Steinberg asked, adding that he had not yet spoken to Leaf. "I'm sure he'll be thrilled to find out."

Steinberg described being claimed by the Bucs as a "dream-type situation" for Leaf, adding that Tampa Bay would have been high on the quarterback's priority list if he had cleared waivers and become a free agent.

Earlier in the day, McKay was coy about plans to upgrade the quarterback position – either through free agency or the draft – this offseason.

The general manager said the only certainty is that Shaun King, who helped Tampa Bay to the NFC championship game as a rookie before struggling last fall in his second season, remains the starter.

Bringing in Leaf will not change the club's plans to acquire veteran help.

There are a number of free agents the Bucs conceivably could be interested in as a starter or backup, including former Vikings and Redskins quarterback Brad Johnson.

An inconsistent King led Tampa Bay to a 10-6 regular season record, then failed to get the team into the end zone during a first-round playoff loss to Philadelphia.

San Diego had high hopes for Leaf after taking him second in the draft behind Peyton Manning. But while Manning went on to help transform the Indianapolis Colts into a playoff team, Leaf's boorish behavior created immediate problems for himself with the Chargers.

He was benched for poor play midway through his troubled rookie season, then missed all of the 1999 season with a shoulder injury.

He once had to be forced away from a heckler during training camp and was suspended for four weeks without pay in 1999 for shouting obscenities at then-Chargers general manager Bobby Beathard.

Leaf appeared to be back on track when he won back San Diego's starting job last summer. But he was benched after throwing five interceptions and just one TD in the first two games.

Despite starting the last six games of 2000, Leaf had alienated teammates to the point that he couldn't regain their respect. One of the clinchers came when reports surfaced last season that he played golf even while telling the team his sprained right wrist was too sore to practice or play.

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