Gruden, Allen sign new deals

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Bruce Allen have signed contract extensions, Allen confirmed on Tuesday. Published reports have the pair signing three-year contract extensions, linking them to the Bucs through 2011.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Bruce Allen have signed contract extensions, Allen confirmed on Tuesday at the Senior Bowl.

Allen spoke to the Tampa-area media after the North team practice at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.

“(I’m) excited,” Allen said. “We’re in good position. I’ve talked about the infrastructure of the Bucs, which makes you feel very positive for the future — the stadium, the facility, the fans — everything.”

Allen did not confirm the length of the contract extensions, but published reports have both extensions at three years, which would keep the pair in Tampa Bay through 2011. It’s believed Gruden was making $4.7 million and Allen was making $2 million.

Allen said there was no correlation between the timing of his and Gruden’s deals and the deals for the rest of the coaching staff, though Gruden made it clear when the season ended that he wanted his assistants taken care of first.

The Bucs have now locked up Gruden, Allen and all three of their coordinators. The coaches — which include Bill Muir (offense), Monte Kiffin (defense) and Richard Bisaccia (special teams) — have worked with Gruden since 2002.

“We’re pleased with the amount of young players on this team and I think it’s important for them to grow as players by knowing the expectations that the coaches have for them, not just during the season but in March and April and May,” Allen said. “I think that helps develop the players. The Glazer family believes in that.”

The Bucs are coming off a 9-7 regular season in which they won the NFC South for the third time in six years. The Bucs lost to the New York Giants in the Wild Card playoffs. The Giants will play the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII next week in Arizona.

The Bucs have at least two official openings remaining on their coaching roster at running backs and assistant defensive backs. It’s also believed that quarterbacks coach Paul Hackett and senior assistant Aaron Kromer are leaving their options open. Allen said that he believed the Bucs would have their coaching staff settled by the Super Bowl.

Matthew Postins covers the Buccaneers for BucsBlitz.com and the Charlotte Sun-Herald in Port Charlotte, Fla. An award-winning member of the Pro Football Writers Association, he appears frequently on Scot Brantley Show from 3-6 p.m. weekdays on WHBO 1470-AM in Tampa-Clearwater.