The Tampa Bay Buccaneers moved expeditiously to sign third-round draft pick Mason Foster this afternoon, making him the first April selection to come to terms, and now it looks like he’s slated to start.

Rick Stroud of the St. Petersburg Times reports that Barrett Ruud, who has led the team in tackles the last four years, will likely be moving on. Ruud is an unrestricted free agent and the youth movement apparently isn’t going to include him.

General manager Mark Dominik said Tyrone McKenzie will also compete for the starting job in the middle of the defense. Now, Ruud is an accomplished player looking for a job elsewhere. Interestingly, Ruud isn’t ready to right off Tampa Bay completely.

"That's tough to say,'' Ruud said. "I'm just going to wait until all this stuff is finalized before I really delve into it. I want to wait until when everybody is signed, when the actual picture comes out.

"I have no idea in all honesty. If I've got more football there, that's great. If not, it's understandable there, too.''

Maybe it hasn’t set in for Ruud yet but with the club so high on Foster it seems tough for them to have space for Ruud or the kind of money he will be seeking.

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Brad Biggs covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune