DB Terrance Parrish, one of five 'futures' players signed by the Bucs on Wednesday, was in Tampa Bay's training camp last August
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced on Wednesday that they have signed the following five players to one-year future contracts for the 2001 season: WR Eddie Hardaway, G Kendell Mack, TE Randy Palmer, DB Terrance Parrish and DT Matt Sweeney.
These deals are called future contracts because they are meant to apply to the 2001 season, and the league season does not officially begin until March 2 this year. However, a team that has concluded its 2000 season may sign players who did not end the season on any club's roster, players that are often referred to in NFL parlance as 'street' free agents. That group includes 2000 practice squad players, who become free agents after seven days of exclusive negotiating time for their original teams.
Hardaway, who played at C.W. Post, was in the Cincinnati Bengals camp prior to the 2000 season.
Mack, who played collegiately at Auburn, originally signed with the Buccaneers on June 2, 2000 before being released on August 27.
Palmer, from Texas A&M-Kingsville, signed to Tampa Bay's practice squad on December 22 before being released one week later. He spent time on the Oakland Raiders practice squad earlier in the year after being released by Cleveland in training camp.
Parrish, from the University of Southern Mississippi, originally signed as a college free agent with Tampa Bay on April 17, 2000 prior to his release on August 21. He had one tackle for the Bucs during the preseason.
Sweeney, who played for the University of Miami, was not selected in the 2000 NFL Draft.
