Bucs sign Cowboys OT Tucker to offer sheetBy Len PasquarelliESPN.comFinally making a long-anticipated move to upgrade at offensive tackle, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday evening signed Dallas Cowboys veteran Torrin Tucker to a restricted free-agent offer sheet.The offer sheet is for two years and financial details were not yet available. The Cowboys have seven days either to match the offer sheet or to allow Tucker to move to the Bucs. If Dallas matches the offer sheet, it inherits the terms negotiated in the two-year contract. Should the Cowboys decide not to match, they will receive no draft-choice compensation, since Tucker entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2003.Dallas retained a right of first refusal on Tucker by making him the low-level qualifying offer, of $712,000, last month.Tampa Bay officials have been seeking for much of the offseason to upgrade at tackle, particularly on the left side. In the first three weeks of free agency, the Bucs met with veteran blockers Brad Hopkins, Jason Fabini and Tom Ashworth but didn't sign any of them. Last week, Tampa Bay re-signed unrestricted free agent Kenyatta Walker, the Bucs' first-round choice in the 2001 draft.Walker is expected to enter training camp as the starting right tackle. Tucker has played right tackle in the past and started 13 games there in 2004. But he was forced to move to the left side and started 10 games at that position in 2005, after Flozell Adams suffered a season-ending knee injury.Two-year veteran Anthony Davis started all 16 games at left tackle for the Bucs in 2005, but he may have to hold off Tucker to retain his job. Some scouts feel right tackle is Tucker's best position, but he proved to be more than adequate while playing on the left side in 2005.The Cowboys could match the offer and keep Tucker, but he might be no better than their No. 4 tackle. Adams will return from his knee injury and the Cowboys signed Fabini to handle the right side. Second-year veteran Rob Petitti, who started all 16 games at right tackle as a rookie in 2005, will likely move to the bench as the No. 3 tackle.Tucker, 26, is an improving player whose best football is probably in front of him, and the Bucs might get him at the point of his career where he is really ready to blossom. The former Southern Mississippi star has appeared in 36 games and started 24 of them.Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.
