The Tampa Bay Buccaneers today announced that they have signed RB Derrick Ward. Terms were not disclosed.
Ward, who spent the past five seasons with the N.Y. Giants, had a career year in 2008 with 182 rushes for 1,025 yards and two touchdowns while also recording 41 receptions for 384 yards. Ward's 5.6 yards per carry average was tops in the league for backs with 100 or more carries and his 1,025 rushing yards ranked 15th in the NFL despite having the fewest rushing attempts of anyone in the top 29. Ward and Giants running mate RB Brandon Jacobs also became just the fifth set of teammates to both rush for 1,000 yards in the same season.
Ward entered the NFL as a seventh-round selection (235th overall) in the 2004 NFL Draft by the N.Y. Jets and has appeared in 51 career games with eight starts and one playoff contest. He has totaled 342 rushes for 1,750 yards and five touchdowns in his career. Ward has also posted 69 receptions for 576 yards and one receiving touchdown along with 40 kickoff returns for 923 yards and one touchdown.