Hackett Set To Visit With Bucs Today A couple of top-level players are still available on the free-agent market, and one of them is coming to Tampa today. D.J. Hackett, the third-best receiver in free agency, according to The Sporting News' War Room scouts, will make a stop at One Buc Place as he ratchets up his attempt to find a new team. Hackett was in Washington visiting the Redskins on Wednesday and has plans to visit the Carolina Panthers on Friday. There's a chance, though, that he never makes it out of Tampa. Though they reportedly see him as being no different than Michael Clayton, the Bucs' need for receiving help may result in them taking a chance on Hackett, who is coming off an injury-plagued season with the Seattle Seahawks. Slowed by ankle problems, Hackett, 26, played in six regular-season games last year, catching 32 passes for 384 yards and three touchdowns. He bounced back in the playoffs, catching six balls for 101 yards and a touchdown in Seattle's first-round victory against Washington. He then caught two passes for 15 yards in a second-round loss to Green Bay. A big target with great leaping ability, the 6-foot-2, 208-pound Hackett is also said to have excellent straight-line speed. However, he might lack the gear necessary to beat defenders deep, scouts say. Durability is also a concern for Hackett. In four NFL seasons, he has not played a full 16-game schedule. Still, scouts see him as someone who is developing into a valuable playmaker. The same might be true of safety Kalvin Pearson, but Pearson won't be making plays for the Bucs this season. Tampa Bay passed on its chance Wednesday to match Detroit's offer to Pearson. A restricted free agent, Pearson received a three-year, $3.5 million offer from the Lions that included a $1.1 million signing bonus. The Bucs were given a week to match it, but declined. "At the start of negotiations, our goal was for Kalvin to remain in Tampa," said Michael Hawthorne, the agent for Pearson, who initially was offered a one-year deal worth $927,000 by Tampa Bay. "We wanted a four-year deal so he could close his career in Tampa, but that did not happen. We feel good about our new situation. Detroit has invested a lot into him, so now it's up to Kalvin." Pearson, who made $516,360 in 2007, led the Bucs' special teams in tackles with 21. He also recorded eight defensive tackles during his one start, the regular-season finale against Carolina. The Bucs will not be compensated for the loss because Pearson came into the league as an undrafted free agent. Their decision on the matter was no doubt fueled by a belief that Sabby Piscitelli is ready to step in for Pearson. Piscitelli was the second of two second-round draft picks last year. But he missed a good part of the preseason with hamstring problems and all of the regular season with a foot injury. In another development, defensive end Kevin Carter spent part of Wednesday meeting with the Raiders in Oakland. Carter was released shortly before free agency began, but it was expected that he would re-sign with the Bucs. His trip to Oakland puts that into question and could result in a situation in which former Arena League MVP Greg White moves from right end to left end for the 2008 season. Roy Cummings/Anwar Richardson, The Tampa Tribune 13 March 2008