Buccaneers Sign Cornerback Buchanon

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Sam Hurd (17) pulls in a pass from quarterback Tony Romo in the fourth quarter of their football game with the Houston Texans, in Irving, Texas Sunday, Oct. 15, 2006. Dallas won, 34-6. Defending for Houston is cornerback Phillip Buchanon (31). (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) (Tony Gutierrez - AP)

TAMPA, Fla. -- A disappointment in Houston, cornerback Phillip Buchanon will get an opportunity to jump-start his NFL career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Seeking help for an injury-depleted secondary, the Bucs signed the former first-round pick of the Oakland Raiders on Tuesday with hopes of getting more out of him than the Texans did after paying a hefty price in 2005.

The Bucs are thin at cornerback because starter Brian Kelly is injured and backups Juran Bolden and Torrie Cox are banged up, too. Buchanon has 34 starts in 50 career games since entering the league in 2002, although most of his contribution with the Texans came on special teams as a punt returner.

"How the coaches fit him in, we'll see. But we wanted to make sure we had some depth there," said general manager Bruce Allen, who was with Oakland when the Raiders drafted Buchanon 17th overall. "It's the reason we claimed Derrick Strait a week ago. We wanted to make sure we had some depth with someone with experience.

"His statistics really stand out. Having seven touchdowns as a non-offensive player is really impressive."

Buchanon has returned four interceptions and three punts for TDs. He had a 45-yard punt return against Dallas last Sunday in his final game for the Texans, who acquired him for second- and third-round picks in the 2005 draft.

Buchanon, who has 11 career interceptions, lost his starting job just two games into his stay in Houston. He had a chance to reclaim it this year, but was slowed in training camp by a hamstring injury.

The Texans released him Monday.

The signing of Buchanon came as the Bucs made a more significant move, trading underachieving defensive tackle Anthony McFarland to the Indianapolis Colts for a second-round draft pick in 2007.

The move clears the way for backup Ellis Wyms to take over at tackle. The sixth-year pro had two sacks in last week's 14-13 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Allen said the Colts' willingness to part with a high draft pick, as well as the development of Wyms made the deal possible. The GM added it's a trade the Bucs would have made even if they were not off to a 1-4 start.

"We feel good about where Ellis Wyms is as a young man who is really coming into his own," Allen said. "We feel we're strong there. This does give us some more ammunition for the future. It gives us the potential to get another excellent football player."

McFarland, a first-round pick in 1998, started 84 of 98 games with the Bucs. He had 13 tackles, but no sacks this season.

"We won a Super Bowl and were working to try to win another," McFarland said in a telephone interview. "From that standpoint it's disappointing that you won't be around to try to help get that done. At the same time, this is a good opportunity for me and I'm looking forward to it."