The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed first-round draft pick Gerald McCoy to a five-year contract that a league source told NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora is worth $63 million, with $35 million guaranteed.
Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris said Saturday he was never concerned that McCoy might become involved in a lengthy holdout that could become a distraction or even undermine the player's rookie season.
"He understands how important he is," said Morris, who serves as his own defensive coordinator. "He understands his role, especially when you're talking about the third pick of the draft.
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"You're not talking about a guy who feels like he got hosed. You're not talking about a guy that feels like he doesn't belong or is not wanted. You're talking about a cornerstone to our defense. There's no secret behind it. I knew it was just a matter of time (before a deal was done)."
McCoy, a 6-foot-4, 295-pound defensive tackle, was the third overall pick in this year's draft out of Oklahoma. He is being counted on to fill a huge hole on Tampa Bay's defensive line.
McCoy participated in the Bucs' organized team activities and minicamp earlier this year and said that time helped him start adjusting to the NFL, where "you've got to know so many different things and you've got to know all those different things and then be ready for the speed of the game while there's a 330-pound man across from you."
McCoy kept in shape in Oklahoma City, with occasional visits to Oklahoma's campus in Norman.
"College game preparation is a little different than the NFL. The season's longer," he said. "You can't do so much wear and tear, so you've kind of got to be careful."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
