Bucs Tell Garcia to Move on.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have told quarterback Jeff Garcia its time to move on, a move he was expecting since the Bucs re-signed Luke McCown to a two-year $7.5 Million contract last week.

Garcia, who turns 39, three days before the start of free agency Feb. 27, said Buccaneers general manager Mark Dominik has informed his agent, Steve Baker, that the team did not want him to return for a third season.

"My time in Tampa has come to an end,'' Garcia said. "I'm not under contract and I'm about to hit free agency and that means it's time again for me to just move on,'' Garcia said. "It is disappointing because I enjoyed the atmosphere and the team environment in that locker room...Change is needed at times. Sometimes it's how you tweak it, not change it. With a new head coach, they want somebody pulling the trigger that they can mold. Beyond that, I don't know why they're making the move.''

Garcia went 14-10 in 24 starts during the regular season with the Bucs the past two seasons, leading Tampa Bay to a playoff appearance in 2007 and earning a trip to the Pro Bowl while throwing 13 touchdowns and four interceptions. Last season, a calf injury he sustained in training camp led to his benching after a season-opening loss at New Orleans. Garcia regained the job the second quarter of the season and finished with an 8-5 record.