TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -Michael Clayton pondered a question about his future with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, hesitated for a moment and then smiled.
He knows he is in for a fight for his job.
But he isn’t worried.
“Every year has been about work. I’ve been in a lot of positions where I’ve had to climb from the bottom of the totem pole. It’s no different from this year,” Clayton said Thursday. “I believe in my talent, and what I can do to help this football team.”
The 27-year-old receiver says he wants to be a leader and mentor for younger players entering his seventh NFL season.
He’s going to have to tidy up his own house first.
Clayton is coming off the least productive season of a largely disappointing career – and he is one of the team’s highest-paid players.
Throw in the fact that the Bucs, seeking help for young quarterback Josh Freeman, selected receivers Arrelious Benn and Mike Williams in last month’s draft, it’s easy to envision Clayton struggling to make the team.
or much of his career, Clayton’s production has declined sharply since he had 80 receptions for 1,193 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie in 2004.
He’s only gotten into the end zone just three times over the past five seasons. He bottomed out with a personal-low 16 receptions for 230 yards and one TD after signing a five-year contract worth nearly $26 million before last season.
After trading for former Philadelphia receiver Reggie Brown in March, Tampa Bay drafted Benn in the second round and Williams, a talented player whose stock dropped because of off-the-field issues at Syracuse, in the fourth round.
Clayton, a first-round selection six years ago, welcomes the competition, which also figures to include Sammie Stroughter and Maurice Stovall, who both had more receptions than Clayton in 2009.
“I’m here as a mentor, a leader. … The best guy is going to play,” Clayton said. “Regardless of what happens, we keep a positive attitude. We’re here to help each other to make sure this team is going to be the best team possible.”
The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Clayton said there were several factors that contributed to his lack of production last season, including the Bucs using three different starting quarterbacks and changing offensive coordinators on the eve of the final preseason game.
ing some stability at the position will mean to him and the rest of the receivers.
“We had a lot of things going on last year. … We were going week by week,” Clayton said, reflecting of the frustration on a 3-13 finish.
“The positive things that we take from last year is everybody still continued to work. We didn’t give up, regardless of the situation.”
Not surprisingly, offensive coordinator Greg Olson liked what he saw from Clayton this week as the Bucs began an initial round of voluntary known as organized team activities. This is the time of year dazzles, raising expectations rarely met during the season.
A year ago, Clayton was excited about the prospect of becoming a bigger part of the offense under incoming coach Raheem Morris. He had five receptions for 93 yards in a season-opening loss to Dallas, but was held to 11 catches for 137 yards the rest of the way.
“Mike always looks good this time of year,” Olson said.
Clayton said work ethic will not change. Nor will his belief that if the Buccaneers decide he no longer fits into their plans, others will be interested.
“Business-wise it could be,” he’s on the way out, Clayton said. “But I know regardless of what happens, I’ll be on a team next year.”
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