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Tampa Bay Buccaneers News & Rumors

RB Chase Edmonds To Join Buccaneers

March 16th, 2023 at 10:03am CST by Sam Robinson

The running back market continues to move, and a recently released ball-carrier now has a new home. Chase Edmonds is heading back to Florida, with Adam Schefter of ESPN.com noting the Buccaneers are signing him.

Edmonds, whom the Broncos cut months after acquiring him from the Dolphins, agreed to terms on a one-year Bucs deal Thursday morning (Twitter link). Following Leonard Fournette‘s release, Edmonds is now in line to pair with second-year back Rachaad White in Tampa.

This will be a fit-based signing, as Fox Sports’ Greg Auman tweets Edmonds is joining the Bucs on a league-minimum deal. This comes a year after the Dolphins signed him to a two-year, $12MM contract. The Broncos saved nearly $6MM in cap space by cutting Edmonds, adding to Denver’s funds ahead of a busy free agency week. They acquired him in the Bradley Chubb trade, picking up the running back’s salary after the Dolphins needed to shed it from their payroll to clear space for the edge rusher’s fifth-year option money.

Edmonds will turn 27 in May but is coming off a low-workload season; he logged just 84 touches in 2022. The Dolphins did not end up receiving much in the way of production from the ex-Cardinals starter; Edmonds averaged 2.9 yards per carry with Miami. The Fordham product fared better in Denver, sporting a 4.8-yard average for a team that by that point was starting a few backups along the offensive line.

The Cardinals started Edmonds over James Conner for most of the 2021 season, when the former fourth-round pick totaled a career-high 903 yards from scrimmage. Edmonds teamed with transition-tagged Kenyan Drake in 2020 and reached 850 scrimmage yards, scoring a career-most five touchdowns. Twice averaging 5.1 yards per carry in a season — the second such instance (2021) coming on 116 totes — Edmonds should still have some tread on his tires. He has only taken 401 handoffs in five pro seasons.

The Bucs ranked last on the ground in 2022, so White and Edmonds may face an uphill battle. Tampa Bay has not made any significant augmentations up front just yet, though it did re-sign guard Aaron Stinnie, who was lost for the 2022 season. The team cut eight-year left tackle Donovan Smith, viewing Tristan Wirfs as a candidate to switch sides. Ryan Jensen staying healthy also stands to improve the Bucs’ rushing attack.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/15/23

March 15th, 2023 at 9:04pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s tender decisions from around the NFL:

RFAs

Tendered:

Non-tendered:

ERFAs

Tendered:

Buccaneers Interested In Signing Ezekiel Elliott

March 15th, 2023 at 2:26pm CST by Adam La Rose

Ezekiel Elliott is set to hit the open market, putting the future of his Cowboys tenure very much in doubt. One of the teams which would be interested in adding the veteran running back is the Buccaneers, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.

Dallas has, as expected, informed the two-time rushing champ that he will be released in a cost-cutting move. Given his decline in production in recent years, and the availability of numerous other free agent backs, Elliott could be hard-pressed to find himself at the heart of a considerable bidding war. Tampa will at least kick the tires on adding him to their backfield, though.

The Buccaneers hired Skip Peete as their running backs coach, after he served in the same capacity in Dallas. That would give Elliott, 27, a familiar face to work with should he find himself unable to work out a new, smaller, deal with the Cowboys and interested in heading to Tampa. In the event he were to do so, the former top-five pick would have competition for snaps.

Tampa Bay is moving on from veteran Leonard Fournette, something which he asked for given the uncertainty surrounding the team. The Buccaneers will have a very new look on offense with someone not named Tom Brady under center, and Dave Canales in place as the new offensive coordinator. The team ranked last in the league on the ground in 2022, so upgrading in that department is likely to be an offseason priority.

Elliott produced career-lows in rushing yards (876) and yards per carry (3.8) in 2022, as his role in the Cowboys’ offense shifted to that of a short-yardage specialist. A similar role would likely await him in Tampa Bay if the two parties were to agree to a deal, given the presence of former third-rounders Rachaad White and Ke’Shawn Vaughn. The Bucs are high on the latter deal, Stroud notes, but a high-profile addition could still be in the cards.

Buccaneers To Bring Back Lavonte David

March 15th, 2023 at 1:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

Lavonte David intends to sign another Buccaneers contract. The 10-year Tampa Bay starter is coming back on a one-year deal, according to CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson (on Twitter).

This will be David’s fourth Bucs contract. He stayed with the team in 2021, as part of the defending champions’ historic talent-retention effort, and will join Jamel Dean and Anthony Nelson in returning to the squad for the 2023 season. Despite the Bucs coming into March nearly $60MM over the cap, they have done well to retain some core defenders. They have also agreed to bring in Baker Mayfield.

David wanted to stay with the Bucs and test the market; he has now accomplished both offseason goals.The 12th-year defender will be back for $7MM, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com report (on Twitter). The deal is guaranteed.

David joined Bobby Wagner as linebacker stalwarts going into age-33 seasons. While David’s All-Pro count does not approach Wagner’s historic number, he has been one of the greatest defenders in Bucs history. David’s 166 starts are top five in franchise history, trailing only Hall of Famers Ronde Barber Brooks and Derrick Brooks and longtime left tackle Paul Gruber.

The void years included on David’s previous Bucs contract would have led to the team carrying nearly $7MM on its 2023 cap sheet even if he was on another team. Reaching this deal before the 2023 league year begins will help the Bucs, who will now have David on their cap sheet to play. Considering David’s production to this point, the Bucs will be counting on him to deliver another season for a team that still houses a number of starters from Super Bowl LV.

Tampa Bay received an 18-game season from David, who tallied 124 tackles — his most since 2015 — and three sacks. The former second-round pick has been one of this era’s best linebackers, despite lacking in Pro Bowl nods. The Pro Bowl formula has worked against David for much of his career, with 4-3 outside linebackers — David’s official position until the Bucs switched to a 3-4 look under Todd Bowles in 2019 — grouped together with 3-4 pass rushers. Pro Football Focus has rated David as a top-five off-ball ‘backer in three of the past four seasons, slotting him third overall in 2022.

While Tom Brady‘s retirement figures to lower the Bucs’ profile in 2023, they are still bringing back six starters from Super Bowl LV on defense. Their offense still carries four first-stringers from that game, with Mayfield potentially stepping into Brady’s role in piloting it. That will do the most in defining how the Bucs respond after a 2022 letdown, but David continuing his partnership with Devin White — who is likely on the verge of a top-market extension — will go a long way toward giving the Bucs’ offense a sturdy safety net.

Buccaneers Finalizing Baker Mayfield Deal

March 15th, 2023 at 10:51am CST by Sam Robinson

The Buccaneers’ Baker Mayfield interest will lead to a free agency agreement. The former No. 1 overall pick is wrapping up a deal with Tampa Bay, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

Mayfield loomed as an option for the Bucs, who were not linked to being big spenders at quarterback this offseason. The sides are set to agree on a one-year deal worth $8.5MM, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. That looks to be the max value here, with Albert Breer of SI.com adding the base value will come in at $4MM (Twitter link).

This will provide Mayfield with another bounce-back opportunity and give the Bucs a veteran option to potentially succeed Tom Brady. While the Bucs are planning to give former second-round pick Kyle Trask a chance to win the starting job, Mayfield (69 starts) obviously laps the third-year passer in experience. Though, Mayfield has seen his stock dip dramatically since he was connected to a lucrative Browns extension in 2021.

Tampa will be Mayfield’s fourth home since July 2022. The Browns traded their four-year starter, after a drawn-out negotiation, to the Panthers last July. Proving a bad fit in Carolina, Mayfield ended up with the Rams to close out his fifth-year option season. Following an injury-plagued 2021 and an uneven Charlotte stay, Mayfield showed signs of life in Los Angeles. The Bucs will provide another opportunity for the 2017 Heisman winner.

Even as he did provide a spark to a depleted Rams offense down the stretch, Mayfield still finished last season with a league-worst 24.5 QBR figure. In Carolina, the 6-foot quarterback completed just 57.8% of his passes — at 6.4 yards per toss — and ended up benched for a Panthers team that started three QBs last year. Sam Darnold, who has since committed to the 49ers, ended up outplaying Mayfield in Carolina, despite the latter having won the training camp competition.

The Panthers waived Mayfield in December, and the Rams turned to the 27-year-old passer immediately after acquiring him. Two days after making the waiver claim, the Rams threw Mayfield into action early during a Thursday-night Raiders matchup. Mayfield struggled with his new team early in that game but reeled off one of the most shocking comebacks in recent NFL history, guiding his new team on a 98-yard game-winning drive — despite the Rams playing with a patchwork offensive line and without Cooper Kupp or Allen Robinson. Mayfield finished his Rams run, which also included a 24-for-28 showing against an upper-echelon Broncos defense, with a 63.6% completion rate and a passer rating well north of his Panthers sample.

Trask has made one career appearance — a Week 18 cameo in Atlanta — but has drawn praise from some Bucs players. He will be thrust into a competition with Mayfield, who is taking a steep pay cut from a fifth-year option salary he already reduced (to $15.4MM) to facilitate a trade out of Cleveland. The outspoken QB led the Browns to their first playoff berth in 18 years two seasons ago, coming back from a disastrous sophomore season under Freddie Kitchens. Mayfield ranked 10th in QBR in 2020 under Kevin Stefanski, throwing 26 TD passes compared to eight INTs, but he is far removed from that productive campaign.

The Bucs will see if new OC Dave Canales can harness some of what Stefanski did three seasons ago. The sixth-year veteran would seem to match up better with a Bucs team still housing several starters from Super Bowl LV. But after Mayfield’s struggles in his 2022 platform season led to a mediocre market, another uninspiring slate will likely take him off the QB1 radar for the foreseeable future.

Buccaneers To Re-Sign OLB Anthony Nelson

March 15th, 2023 at 9:43am CST by Sam Robinson

Anthony Nelson will sign a second Buccaneers contract. The young edge rusher is staying in Tampa on a two-year deal, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets.

The former fourth-round pick has become a solid complementary rusher for the team, racking up 10.5 sacks over the past two seasons. He will stick around alongside Shaq Barrett and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka.

Barrett is coming off an Achilles tear, leading to Nelson’s first extended run in Tampa Bay’s starting lineup. The veteran sack artist’s injury made retaining Nelson more important for a Bucs team that, despite a Saints-level cap situation entering March, has found room to retain both Nelson and cornerback Jamel Dean.

A number of other veteran defenders’ futures are currently in doubt in Tampa Bay, a team which is due to see a substantial overhaul in spite of their success in keeping a key member of their pass rush in Nelson. The 26-year-old put up similar numbers to the 2021 season in terms of pressures and QB hits this season, in spite of the substantial increase in playing time.

That could mean his statistical ceiling has essentially been met, but his success in a rotational role, coupled with his age, makes a short-term deal a logical priority for the NFC South champions. Barrett is on the books for another two seasons, while Tryon-Shoyinka is likewise set to have his rookie contract expire after the 2024 season. They, along with Nelson, will now be linked financially as the mainstays of the Bucs’ edge group.

Tampa Bay still sits in a worse financial situation than most teams at the moment, after their numerous cost-cutting moves leading up to this week. Their success in retaining both Dean and Nelson is noteworthy, however, and will give the team some continuity on defense regardless of what happens in the coming days.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/14/23

March 14th, 2023 at 9:51pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Texans To Acquire G Shaq Mason From Buccaneers

March 14th, 2023 at 8:52am CST by Adam La Rose

It was learned yesterday that the Buccaneers would be moving on from veteran guard Shaq Mason in the immediate future, via either a trade or release. The former route will be taken; Tampa is trading Mason to the Texans, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link).

Pelissero’s colleague Ian Rapoport tweets that the deal will see Houston and Tampa Bay swap sixth- and seventh-round picks. By moving on from Mason, the Buccaneers will see $5.3MM in cap savings while incurring a dead money charge of $4.3MM. The Texans, meanwhile, will acquire a consistent performer at right guard who has one year remaining on his current contract.

Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports (via Twitter) that Mason is likely to be extended upon his arrival with the Texans. That would come as little surprise, as the 29-year-old is set to carry a cap hit of just over $9.5MM in 2023. A new contract aimed at lowering that figure would help the team’s cap situation and secure his future there over the course of multiple years.

Mason logged 98 starts during his seven-year stint with the Patriots to begin his career. He was traded to Tampa Bay last offseason, and started every game as part of the Buccaneers’ revamped interior o-line. His 1,200 snaps were a welcomed sight considering the multitude of injuries the team had to deal with over the course of the season. Mason was charged with 25 pressures allowed by PFF, however, which resulted in an overall grade of 68.9, the second-lowest of his career.

In addition to agreeing to acquire Mason, the Texans are moving on from A.J. Cann, Wilson reports. A longtime Jaguars starter, Cann signed with the Texans last season and immediately became a full-time starter for the team. Cann started 16 games with Houston and has been an NFL first-stringer throughout his eight-year career, lining up at guard and center. The veteran guard joins center Justin Britt as O-line starters who will not be in the Texans’ 2023 equation. The team released Britt, its starting center for the past two seasons, ahead of free agency. Britt is expected to retire.

Houston used a first-round pick on Kenyon Green last April, and he served as their left guard. Presuming Mason is extended on a new multi-year deal, that pair will serve as the Texans’ guard tandem for at least the intermediate future. With center Scott Quessenberry having just been re-signed, the interior of Houston’s offensive line is firmly in place.

QB Jacoby Brissett Drawing Interest From Bucs, Eagles

March 13th, 2023 at 10:33pm CST by Ely Allen

Veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett was signed to a one-year contract in Cleveland a year ago for the sole purpose of filling in until Deshaun Watson was free from his suspension. After doing the job that was asked of him, Brissett is again set to hit free agency and is drawing early interest from both the Buccaneers and Eagles, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2.

The interest from the Buccaneers is fairly straightforward. Having just lost star quarterback Tom Brady to retirement, Tampa Bay doesn’t have a clear plan at quarterback moving forward. With three-year backup Blaine Gabbert headed to free agency, the only remaining passer on the team’s roster is their second-round pick from 2021, Kyle Trask.

The Buccaneers certainly seem to like Trask, but with the 25-year-old only ever having appeared in one game for limited playing time, he certainly doesn’t have the experience to instill confidence as the franchise quarterback. Bringing in Brissett does two things for Tampa Bay: provides them with an experienced, capable backup quarterback if the plan is to move forward with Trask and/or provides them with an experienced, capable starter who can get you through a transition year, much like he did this year in Cleveland.

The Eagles interest in Brissett is even more straightforward. Philadelphia easily has solidified Jalen Hurts as their starting quarterback. After a season that saw Hurts receive MVP votes, receive second-team All-Pro honors, and lead his team to the Super Bowl, there is no doubt in anybody’s mind of who will be leading the Eagles’ offense next season.

In Philadelphia, Brissett would solely be a backup. It’s a role that Brissett is familiar with. and perhaps a bit overqualified for, but it’s not unreasonable for the Eagles to reach out for a backup quarterback of his caliber. Situations such as we saw in San Francisco and Baltimore this year prove just how imperative it is to have a backup quarterback capable of winning football games.

In San Francisco, the 49ers had not only one but two capable backups who went a combined 12-3 when starting quarterback Trey Lance went down after two weeks of play. Not only did they win in the regular season, but they went to the Conference Championship game on the arm of rookie seventh-round pick Brock Purdy. The Ravens, on the other hand, saw their two backups combine for a 2-3 record as they limped across the finish line for a 10-7 finish and an early playoff exit.

These two examples show precisely why a backup quarterback is one of the most important positions on a roster. Injuries happen and, when they do, teams need to be prepared with a contingency plan. The Eagles’ experienced backup, Gardner Minshew, is headed towards free agency, and the only other quarterback on the roster is Ian Book, whose only NFL playing time had disastrous results in 2021. Brissett would easily provide an upgrade over Book and likely an upgrade over Minshew, as well.

Brissett has now delivered three strong seasons in a row and, while many may consider it offensive that he’s being considered as a backup plan or for a backup job, the jobs he’s being considered for are a testament to his recent level of play. He is being pursued because he has plenty of starting experience and is capable of good play.

He may not be able to reach the $15MM per year that he got to start in Indianapolis, but Brissett should be due an impressive deal that includes plenty of incentives that are attainable if he earns the starting job. Wherever Brissett ends up, he should take pride in his status as one of the league’s best backup quarterbacks.

Buccaneers To Re-Sign CB Jamel Dean

March 13th, 2023 at 4:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Coming back from being nearly $60MM over the cap, the Buccaneers are planning to still retain their top free agent. Jamel Dean intends to re-sign with Tampa Bay, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Jamel Dean (vertical)The Bucs have now re-signed Dean and fellow cornerback Carlton Davis in back-to-back legal tampering periods. Although the Tom Brady void-years bill led to the belief the Bucs were not planning a particularly active free agency period, they viewed Dean as a priority.

Dean agreed to terms on a four-year deal worth $52MM, Josina Anderson of CBS Sports tweets. This checks in at a manageable rate for the Bucs. Expected to attract a bit more interest on the market, Dean will be back in Tampa at just $13MM per year. This is well outside the top five at cornerback, and it does not check in among the top 12 contracts at the position. Dean will stay with the Bucs as the NFL’s 14th-highest-paid corner. The deal includes $26MM guaranteed, Jordan Schultz of The Score tweets.

Breaking through as a full-time player in 2022, Dean ranked as a top-10 corner in the view of Pro Football Focus. The former third-round pick’s coverage numbers were a bit better in 2021, when he allowed just a 50.0 passer rating as the closest defender. That number climbed to 86.0 last season, but Dean will keep developing in Todd Bowles’ system. Considering the Bucs’ performance last season, retaining one of their top pieces stands to be vital as they move forward post-Brady.

Dean is surprisingly now tied to less in average salary than Davis, whom the Bucs drafted on Day 2 a year before selecting Dean. Sean Murphy-Bunting, the other recent Bucs Day 2 cornerback pick, is still a free agent.

The Buccaneers have been focused on clearing room in recent weeks, restructuring a number of contracts. Still, the front office did have to move on from a number of notable players, including running back Leonard Fournette, tight end Cameron Brate, and offensive linemen Donovan Smith and Shaq Mason.

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