Buccaneers To Sign S Keanu Neal

After a year back in Dan Quinn‘s system, Keanu Neal will return to the NFC South. The veteran defender is signing with the Buccaneers, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Neal moved to linebacker during his year with the Cowboys, but the longtime Falcons safety has switched back to his initial NFL position. That appears to be where Todd Bowles sees him. Despite being a seventh-year veteran, Neal is 26. He stands to give the Bucs another veteran presence in a safety group that added Logan Ryan this offseason.

Although Neal was on a Cowboys team that housed Micah Parsons, Leighton Vander Esch and Jaylon Smith entering last season, he played 61% of Dallas’ defensive snaps. The Cowboys cut Smith and used Parsons as a pass rusher frequently, helping lead to Neal’s snap rate despite just five starts. Neal registered 72 tackles (four for loss) in 14 games last season. The Cowboys re-signed Vander Esch last month.

A central Florida native and former Florida Gator, Neal spent five years with the Falcons after coming into the NFL as a top-20 pick. He has been more valuable as a tackler than a cover man, but the ex-Super Bowl starter has a Pro Bowl on his resume (2017). Neal has also bounced back from two injury-nullified seasons, having played just four games from 2018-19. He made at least 100 tackles in his other three Falcons seasons.

The Bucs lost starter Jordan Whitehead in free agency but now have two veterans joining Antoine Winfield Jr. at safety. Both Ryan and Neal have notable histories at other positions, with the former being a cornerback for years to start his career. It will be interesting to see how the Bucs deploy their new arrivals next season.

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