Buccaneers Bring Back Jason Pierre-Paul

Jason Pierre-Paul is making an NFL comeback. The veteran edge rusher worked out for the Buccaneers on Monday, and things went well on that front.

Pierre-Paul has a deal in place with Tampa Bay, Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network report. Pelissero noted earlier today that a workout had been arranged. Now, the Bucs will seek out a pass-rush boost in the form of a familiar face.

Pierre-Paul’s first stint with the organization spanned four seasons, as the pass rusher collected 33 sacks across 54 games. The veteran also added another 2.5 sacks in six playoff appearances with Tampa Bay, including two sacks en route to the Buccaneers championship in 2020.

Since leaving the franchise after the 2021 campaign, JPP has bounced around the NFL. He started 13 of his 14 appearances for the Ravens in 2022 but finished with only three sacks. He then split the 2023 season between the Saints and Dolphins, when he was limited to only a pair of tackles in three games. The veteran has been pushing for an NFL return since getting cut by Miami two years ago, and he’s finally found that opportunity in Tampa Bay.

Considering the layoff, the Buccaneers shouldn’t expect a whole lot from their newest acquisition. Still, JPP will represent a healthy body on the defensive line as the organization makes a late-season push towards the postseason. The Buccaneers have relied on each of their edge defenders in 2025, with YaYa Diaby, Haason Reddick, Elijah Roberts, Anthony Nelson, and Chris Braswell all garnering at least 200 defensive snaps this season. Reddick is currently nursing an ankle injury, so perhaps Pierre-Paul could be a short-term stopgap for the defense.

When the Buccaneers are fully healthy, JPP may be forced to accept a practice squad role. If he could discover the fountain of youth, he could theoretically provide some pass-rush prowess to a unit that doesn’t have any one standout edge rusher. Diaby currently paces the team with only six sacks.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

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