Carl Nicks preparing to face his former team

Carl Nicks is taking a low-key approach into his first meeting with his former team.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers guard jumped teams in the NFC South when he left the New Orleans Saints in free agency for a $37.5 million, five-year contract that made him one of the highest-paid interior linemen in the NFL.

The Bucs and Saints meet on Sunday and naturally Nicks, who won a Super Bowl ring playing in New Orleans, is getting plenty of attention.

“I'm just excited to play my old team and stick it to them a little bit,” Nicks said, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.

Nicks said he did not have any knowledge of the bounty scandal that has rocked the Saints.

“I was disappointed for all the suspensions and allegations because I don't know if there is any actual evidence," he said. "I've never seen any of that stuff."

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Brad Biggs covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune