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Tampa Bay Buccaneers News & Rumors

NFC Rumors: Cowboys, Falcons, Saints, Trask

May 15th, 2022 at 9:11pm CST by Ely Allen

Going into the 2022 offseason, the Cowboys knew that they needed to bolster their defensive line. Early reports rumored that Dallas had interest in adding a former rival in Jason Pierre-Paul, who spent eight years as a Giant before going to Tampa Bay.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the Cowboys’ interest in Pierre-Paul seems to be waning, as Dallas believes they have “at least six capable edge rushers.” In the offseason, they added Dante Fowler through free agency and drafted Sam Williams out of Ole Miss last month. They’ll find themselves in the pass rushing rotation with the likes of Dorance Armstrong, Tarell Basham, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Chauncey Golston.

Here are a few other rumors from around the NFC, starting with a few more rumors from Jeremy Fowler’s article:

  • Atlanta selected Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder in the third round, over every quarterback in the Draft, besides Kenny Pickett who was the only passer off the board at that point. Fowler reports that Ridder’s biggest competition for the pick was Liberty’s Malik Willis, but the Falcons felt that Willis lacked the signature moments at Liberty, even though he had incredible talent. Ridder, on the other hand, had a more complete body of work, in their opinion. It didn’t hurt that Ridder reportedly came to interviews with a plan on how to unseat a veteran starting quarterback wherever he landed.
  • Another team that was long rumored to be looking at quarterbacks in the Draft, New Orleans instead drafted wide receiver Chris Olave with their first round pick. According to Fowler, the Saints had no plans to draft a quarterback. They had Olave in their sights and, upon seeing Drake London and Garrett Wilson come off the board at Nos. 8 and 10 overall, they knew they needed to make a move to ensure Olave would be available. New Orleans apparently did an outstanding job of keeping their plans a complete mystery to the rest of the NFL.
  • With Tom Brady coming out of retirement to quarterback the Buccaneers, Tampa Bay has been evaluating their backup quarterback position. According to Greg Auman of The Athletic, Buccaneers quarterbacks coach Clyde Christensen doesn’t see Kyle Trask competing with Blaine Gabbert for the backup job. This shouldn’t put Trask’s roster spot in jeopardy, though. Gabbert is one of the better backup quarterbacks in the league, but the plan for Trask was always for a post-Brady team. Tampa Bay is happy with Trask’s progress so far and will likely keep developing the 24-year-old for the future.

Buccaneers Sign 13 UDFAs

May 14th, 2022 at 9:24am CST by Ben Levine

After adding eight rookies in the draft, the Buccaneers added another 13 rookies yesterday. The team announced the signing of 13 undrafted free agents:

The Buccaneers added three UDFA wideouts, including the 5-9, 195-pound Sterns. The receiver had an iconic season at Western Kentucky, leading the nation in receptions (150), receiving yards (1,902), and touchdown catches (17). Only three players have accomplished this “Triple Crown” feat over the past 20 years, with Sterns joining DeVonta Smith and Michael Crabtree.

Fatukasi is the younger brother of New York Jets defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi. The younger Fatukasi finished his collegiate career with a 2021 campaign that saw him compile 85 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/12/22

May 12th, 2022 at 6:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

Thursday has featured several rookie deals finalized. Here are the mid- and late-round draftees to sign their four-year contracts today:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

  • WR Montrell Washington (fifth round, Samford)

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

  • RB Snoop Conner (fifth round, Ole Miss)
  • CB Gregory Junior (sixth round, Ouachita Baptist)
  • CB Montaric Brown (seventh round, Arkansas)

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Latest On Richard Sherman

May 9th, 2022 at 11:53am CST by Adam La Rose

Richard Sherman is still a free agent, but it appears his next destination won’t be an NFL locker room. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports (on Twitter) that Sherman is “deep in talks with Amazon” to become part of their broadcasting team. 

The 34-year-old spent last season in Tampa Bay. One of several veterans joining the Buccaneers eyeing another Super Bowl title, his campaign didn’t end nearly as well as it began. He played nearly every snap during his first two games with the team, but struggled to stay on the field shortly thereafter. A calf strain and, later, an Achilles injury, each landed him on IR. Overall, his 10th NFL season ended with 11 tackles and one interception in five games.

Sherman is best known, of course, for his time in Seattle. A fifth-round pick of the Seahawks in 2011, he played an instrumental part in the team’s success during the ‘Legion of Boom’ era. The 2012 campaign saw him earn First-Team All-Pro honors, something which he repeated in the following two years. He was also named a Pro Bowler four straight times from 2013-16, and again in 2019. The latter year saw him earn his final Pro Bowl during his three-year stint with the division rival 49ers, a tenure which included his third Super Bowl appearance.

Sherman hasn’t completely resigned himself to ending his on-field football career; Rapoport adds that “the door is open for a return in the right situation” (Twitter link). Absent an offer from a team eyeing experienced depth in their secondary, however, he is set to transition to the second chapter of his football life.

NFC Rumors: Gronkowski, Bears, Dean, Graham, Lions, Patterson

May 8th, 2022 at 7:34pm CST by Ely Allen

In an interview with Sports Illustrated last weekend, free agent tight end Rob Gronkowski was asked about the potential for his return. In reality, the question and answer were played off a bit as a joke.

The reporter specifically asked Gronkowski if he would return should Tampa Bay sign retired wide receiver Julian Edelman. Gronkowski didn’t hesitate to commit to returning for a full season alongside Edelman were that to occur. Realistically, if Gronkowski is to return for another season with the Buccaneers, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones expects that decision to be made after minicamps.

Here are a few more rumors from around the NFC, starting with a rumor out of the Windy City:

  • In the 2022 NFL Draft, the Bears heavily addressed their offensive line, drafting four offensive linemen and signing one more undrafted free agent lineman. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune expects the team to continue trying to add to the group, saying that they should be on the lookout specifically for “an experienced option to compete for the right guard job.” Biggs also expects Chicago to target veterans at defensive line and wide receiver over the next few weeks.
  • New Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean was expected to be a first round pick during last month’s Draft. Dean was the victim of one of the least predictable slides of all time, falling down to the third round of the Draft due to concerns over his health. Well, according to EJ Smith of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Dean has been a full participant in the team’s rookie minicamp, making an effort to disprove the notion many teams held that he would potentially miss his entire rookie season with a pectoral injury.
  • Two games into the 2021 NFL season, Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham suffered a season-ending tear of his Achilles tendon. Well, according to Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94WIP.com, Graham says he feels like the injury never even happened. He will return to the field with no restrictions this preseason. This wouldn’t be the first time Graham has made a full recovery from a long-term injury. He tore his ACL 13 games into his rookie season. Despite the serious injury, Graham has become the impact player he is today, the same player he is expecting to be this upcoming season.
  • Two Thursdays ago, the Lions were more than happy to walk away from the 2022 Draft with the hometown defensive end from Michigan, Aidan Hutchinson. If things had not worked out so perfectly for Detroit, though, and Hutchinson had been told to pack his bags for Duval, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports that the Lions would have selected the player Jacksonville actually did select, Georgia defensive lineman Travon Walker.
  • Falcons wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson has always been a bit of a swiss army knife. He has made impressive plays in the kick and punt return games and, while performing mainly as a wide receiver for most of his career, Patterson has displayed the ability to run the ball when required, as well. After signing to join the Falcons last year, Patterson was asked to run the ball more than ever before, serving as Atlanta’s top rusher in terms of both attempts and yards. Well, Michael Fabiano of Sports Illustrated quoted ESPN’s Michael Rothstein stating his belief that Patterson will return to his primary position, expecting the 31-year old to spend more time at wide receiver than running back next year. Whether this would be a result of offseason additions like free agent signing Damien Williams or newly drafted Keaontay Ingram or if Patterson just requested a return to his natural role, Patterson is expected to take fewer snaps at running back next season.

Buccaneers’ Interest In Re-Signing Suh Waning

May 6th, 2022 at 6:35pm CST by Ely Allen

Before the NFL Draft, Tampa Bay was already exploring options for depth on the defensive line without re-signing Ndamukong Suh, but, according to Greg Auman of The Athletic, their move to draft Logan Hall may have sealed Suh’s fate. 

The Buccaneers signed Suh in 2019 in an effort to replace the production lost with Gerald McCoy‘s departure. Suh failed to produce numbers typical of his career in that first season in Tampa, posting a career low in sacks, but demonstrated his usual aptitude for playmaking, scoring two touchdowns on fumble recoveries, recording 7.0 tackles for loss, and hitting the quarterback 14 times. Suh returned to form the following two years recording 6.0 sacks in each season. Despite signing with the Buccaneers at 32-years-old, Suh has maintained a high level of play. In his three seasons with the team, he’s recorded 14.5 sacks, 23.0 tackles for loss, 46 quarterback hits, and 5 fumble recoveries.

Last month, after trading back to allow Jacksonville a second first-round pick, the Buccaneers used their first pick of the Draft to add the Houston defensive lineman, Hall, 33rd overall. Hall displays some of the same versatility that makes Suh so valuable, but at 13 years younger and on a rookie deal that should be much cheaper than bringing back the now 35-year-old Suh.

Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht hasn’t shut the door on re-signing Suh, making a comment that seemed to insinuate he may be an option in case an injury hurts the team’s depth at the position. Suh would certainly be an effective injury replacement as he hasn’t missed a start in his entire 12-year career. He’s only missed two games since getting drafted and those missed games were the result of suspension.

Still, barring an injury to the line, signing Suh wouldn’t make much sense for Tampa Bay after using such a high pick on Hall. It would add unnecessary cost to the position group and Suh’s playing time would cut into the early playing opportunities for Hall.

Steelers To Hold Second GM Interviews With Ryan Cowden, John Spytek

May 5th, 2022 at 8:52am CST by Adam La Rose

With the draft over, longtime Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert’s tenure in that role has officially come to an end. As a result, the team’s search for his replacement is now front and center. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports (on Twitter) that second interviews will be conducted with Ryan Cowden and John Spytek, among others.

[RELATED: Colbert Officially Steps Down]

Cowden has been with the Titans since 2016. After 16 years in Carolina, Tennessee hired him to work in the player personnel department, and he has played a key role in the team’s recent success. As a result, he has generated interest in recent GM searches, including an interview with the Giants earlier this year for their opening and his first meeting with Pittsburgh one month later.

Spytek has followed an almost identical recent career path to Cowden. He too was hired in 2016 (after spending time as a scout with the Browns and Broncos) and has served as first director, then vice president, of player personnel for the Buccaneers. Likewise, his contributions to the team’s success has caught the attention of other clubs. He interviewed with the Vikings and Raiders before doing so with the Steelers this offseason.

As Garafolo notes, the list of candidates to be interviewed a second time will grow longer than these two. For now, though, here is an updated look at Pittsburgh’s search:

  • Morocco Brown, college scouting director (Colts): Interviewed
  • Ran Carthon, director of player personnel (49ers): Interviewed
  • Ryan Cowden, vice president of player personnel (Titans): To conduct second interview
  • Ed Dodds, assistant general manager (Colts): Interviewed 2/4
  • Joe Hortiz, director of player personnel (Ravens): Interviewed
  • Brandon Hunt, pro scouting director (Steelers): Interviewed
  • Omar Khan, vice president of football and business administration (Steelers): Interviewed
  • Dan Morgan, assistant general manager (Panthers): Interviewed
  • Jerry Reese, former general manager (Giants): Interviewed
  • Louis Riddick, former director of pro personnel (Eagles): Interviewed
  • Rick Spielman, former general manager (Vikings): Interviewed
  • John Spytek, director of player personnel (Buccaneers): To conduct second interview
  • Andy Weidl, vice president of player personnel (Eagles): Interviewed
  • Doug Whaley, vice president of player personnel (XFL): Interviewed
  • John Wojciechowski, co-director of player personnel (Packers): Interviewed
  • JoJo Wooden, director of player personnel (Chargers): Interviewed by 2/4

 

2023 NFL Fifth-Year Option Results

May 3rd, 2022 at 9:17am CST by Zachary Links

Monday marked the deadline for NFL clubs to officially pick up their options on 2019 first-rounders. Fifth-year option seasons are no longer just guaranteed for injury — they’re now fully guaranteed, which makes these decisions a little tougher for teams.

Nineteen players had their options exercised, a tick up from 14 last year. Here’s the full rundown:

1. QB Kyler Murray, Cardinals – Exercised ($29.7MM)
2. DE Nick Bosa, 49ers: Exercised ($17.9MM)
3. DE Quinnen Williams, Jets: Exercised ($11.5MM)
4. DE Clelin Ferrell, Raiders: Declined ($11.5MM)
5. LB Devin White, Buccaneers: Exercised ($11.7MM)
6. QB Daniel Jones, Giants: Declined ($22.4MM)
7. DE Josh Allen, Jaguars: Exercised ($11.5MM)
8. TE T.J. Hockenson, Lions: Exercised ($9.4MM)
9. DT Ed Oliver, Bills: Exercised ($10.8MM)
10. LB Devin Bush, Steelers: Declined ($10.9MM)
11. OT Jonah Williams, Bengals: Exercised ($12.6MM)
12. LB Rashan Gary, Packers: Exercised ($10.9MM)
13. DT Christian Wilkins, Dolphins: Exercised ($10.8MM)
14. G Chris Lindstrom, Falcons: Exercised ($13.2MM)
15. QB Dwayne Haskins:
16. DE Brian Burns, Panthers: Exercised ($16MM)
17. DT Dexter Lawrence, Giants: Exercised ($10.8MM)
18. C Garrett Bradbury, Vikings: Declined ($13.2MM)
19. DT Jeffery Simmons, Titans: Exercised ($10.8MM)
20. TE Noah Fant, Seahawks: Exercised ($6.9MM; originally drafted by Broncos)
21. S Darnell Savage, Packers: Exercised ($7.9MM)
22. OT Andre Dillard, Eagles: Declined ($12.6MM)
23. OT Tytus Howard, Texans: Exercised ($13.2MM)
24. RB Josh Jacobs, Raiders: Declined ($8MM)
25. WR Marquise Brown, Cardinals: ($13.4MM; originally drafted by Ravens)
26. DE Montez Sweat, Commanders: Exercised ($11.5MM)
27. S Johnathan Abram, Raiders: Declined ($7.9MM)
28. DE Jerry Tillery, Chargers: Declined ($11.5MM)
29. DE L.J. Collier, Seahawks: Declined ($11.5MM)
30. CB Deandre Baker — N/A (released by Giants)
31. OT Kaleb McGary, Falcons: Declined ($13.2MM)
32. WR N’Keal Harry, Patriots: Declined ($12.4MM)

Bucs Acquire No. 57 To Take Luke Goedeke

April 29th, 2022 at 8:14pm CST by Ely Allen

Central Michigan offensive lineman Luke Goedeke finally hears his name called as the Buccaneers were tired of seeing him slide down the board. Tampa Bay traded up four spots to make sure the 23-year-old found his way to Central Florida.

Goedeke moved from tight end to offensive tackle during his redshirt season with the Chippewas, earning the team’s starting right tackle position as a redshirt sophomore. Goedeke missed the 2020 season due to a knee injury, but came back strong to earn All-Mid-American honors as a redshirt junior.

Despite spending his college career at tackle, Goedeke projects as an interior lineman at the next level. This fills a huge position of need for the Buccaneers who lost Alex Cappa to free agency and Ali Marpet to retirement.

The Bucs’ received the pick used to draft Goedeke from the Bills, giving them their No. 60 pick and No. 180 (6th round) pick in exchange.

Jaguars Acquire No. 27, Select LB Devin Lloyd

April 28th, 2022 at 10:07pm CST by Ben Levine

The Jaguars are moving up. Jacksonville has acquired No. 27 from the Buccaneers and will select Utah linebacker Devin Lloyd.

[RELATED: NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Utah LB Devin Lloyd]

In exchange for No. 27, Tampa Bay acquired picks No. 33, No. 106, and No. 180 from the Jaguars. Tampa Bay will unofficially be on the clock following tonight’s first-round festivities. If this ends up being the final deal of the night, it will make nine total trades.

The six-foot-three, 235-pound Lloyd had a massively productive four-year career in Utah. He saved his best for last, producing 111 tackles, including 22 for a loss, seven sacks and four interceptions in 14 games in 2021. His play earned him Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year honors and was a main reason why the Utes won their conference and made their first ever appearance in the Rose Bowl.

While he is on the leaner side for a middle linebacker (which probably contributed to his late-first draft stock), his length and speed should easily let him translate that production into NFL success.

 

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