Buccaneers backup receiver Ike Hilliard decided to stay with Tampa Bay on Monday, signing a four-year deal despite being tempted by a more lucrative offer by the Houston Texans.
Terms of the deal weren't available.
Hilliard went with the better opportunity for playing time. The Bucs made it clear to Hilliard that he's a third receiver with the team, behind Joey Galloway and Michael Clayton.
The Texans had a little more money on the table than the Bucs, but it was unclear whether Hilliard was going to be the second, third or fourth receiver in the rotation. New head coach Gary Kubiak talked about using Hilliard as a starter, but the four-year offer to Hilliard was less than the four-year, $6.4 million offer sheet given to Kevin Walter, formerly of the Bengals.
Walter was brought in to compete for the No. 3 receiving job. The Bengals declined to match the offer sheet and the restricted free agent receiver officially became property of the Texans.
Steelers re-sign wide receiver Mays
The Steelers re-signed wide receiver Lee Mays to a one-year, $540,000 contract that included a $40,000 signing bonus.
The Steelers started the offseason with 12 unrestricted free agents. Mays became the seventh to re-sign. They lost safety Chris Hope (Tennessee), wide receiver Antwaan Randle El (Washington) and defensive end Kimo von Oelhoffen (Jets).
John Clayton is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.