The Buccaneers’ new starting QB, Luke McCown, now has blind-side protection after starting LT Donald Penn signed his one-year, $2.8 million tender offer, the St. Petersburg Times reports:

Penn was the only unexplained absence in last week’s voluntary minicamp in Tampa, but he said he and his representative felt opting out was the prudent move.

“My agent was in contact with a couple of teams, so it wasn’t smart for me to go to mini-camp without being under contract,” Penn said. “Anything could happen out there.”

But Penn was adamant the move shouldn’t be considered a holdout.

“I want to make it clear: I wasn’t holding out,” he said. “That’s something I want the fans to know. I’m not even that type of person.”

Penn, who played in all 16 games in each of the last two seasons, wasn’t likely to leave the Bucs because another team would have to give up two draft picks to sign him. However, The Times notes, Penn used the opportunity to gauge interest in his services for 2010, when he will be an unrestricted free agent, meaning the Bucs wouldn’t receive compensation if he leaves the team.

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