Kevin_ODonnell's Blog

Tampa--Bucs Jeff Garcia has two demands. Respect and a new contract. Garcia is so unhaappy with the lack of progress towards a new deal that he's considering not showing up for future workouts.

"There might come a time when I might have to stand up,'' Garcia said. "I hate to do that to jeopardize my teammates because they're out here, and I don't want to let them down in any sort of way. But at some point you just want to see the respect from up top.''

Garcia, 38, has just one year remaining on his 2-year deal that averages $3.5 million, but he feels he has earned a payday that is more in line with the league average for starting quarterbacks which is $7 million per season.

"I don't think anyone here is trying to break the bank in any sort of way, said Garcia. I think it's about what your peers around the league are making. It's about being appreciated and respected. I understand he (Bruce Allen) has us in a tough situation because we are under contract. It just makes it a real difficult thing to overcome when you think about your emotional and mental approach every single day. You can become very negative and almost counter productive as to what the focus of the team is because your caught up in the negative situations that are going on above you."

Garcia has never staged a holdout in his career and right now he's planning on reporting July 25 when the team checks in at the Celebration Hotel for training camp.

The Bucs policy is not to comment publically on players contract situation.

Bruce Allen normally doesn't enter into discussions about new deals when players are under contract. He has made exception for players entering the last year of their contracts, as he did with Ronde Barber. Given that the Glazers recently extended Allen and Jon Gruden's contracts the time is now for Allen to share the wealth.