Tampa Bay Buccaneers have agreed to a deal with former Pro Bowl running back Le’Veon Bell, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The move comes less than 24 hours after the Bucs learned they will be without their leading back Leonard Fournette for the remainder of the season.

Bell will join the Bucs after playing five games with the Baltimore Ravens earlier in 2021. He managed 31 carries for 83 yards and two touchdowns before being cut in late November.

The Buccaneers are expected to make the move official once Bell passes his physical.

Despite his struggles in recent years, Bell should have a prominent role in Tampa Bay from the get-go. The team’s backfield has been depleted by injuries in recent weeks, and they don’t have much depth on the position. Their current options include former starter Ronald Jones, who has had a quiet year so far and isn’t a major factor in the passing game, and second-year player Ke’Shawn Vaughn, who only had 11 carries this season.

Le’Veon Bell was once considered one of the best running backs in the game, receiving three Pro Bowl nods during his first five years in NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, Bell’s career has been on a downward trajectory ever since he sat out the 2018 season due to a contract dispute with the Steelers.

Bell signed a big-time contract with the New York Jets ahead of the 2019 season but failed to replicate his production from his early years as a pro. He lasted less than two seasons in New York before embarking on unsuccessful stints with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Ravens.

But if there is any place where Bell could resurrect his career, Tampa Bay should be it. The Buccaneers already helped Bell’s former Steelers teammate Antonio Brown to become a factor in the league again, so it would be a surprise if they do the same for him.

The post Tampa Bay Buccaneers Set to Sign RB Le’Veon Bell appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After offseason disagreement, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have decided to call it quits with legendary defensive tackle Gerald McCoy.

The Bucs announced on Monday that they had released McCoy, who spent the past nine seasons as the anchor of Tampa’s defense.

Tampa Bay will save $39 million by releasing McCoy, who had three more years left on his contract. With McCoy at 31 years old, the Bucs and new head coach Bruce Arians decided to cut their ties with a franchise legend due to a possible impending decline.

The release comes on the heels of Arians’ controversial comments about McCoy after his hiring. The new coach said about McCoy that, “He’s not as disruptive as he was four years ago, but he’s still a good player.”

McCoy fired back on Instagram with this post:

After the offseason mess and Tampa’s commitment to retooling, it seemed best for both parties to move on.

McCoy will now be free to sign with any team he wants and go play with a championship contender for the first time in his career.

The 31-year-old made six Pro Bowls and was named an All-Pro selection three times in his time with the Bucs.

The post Tampa Bay Buccaneers Release Pro Bowl DT Gerald McCoy appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have locked up their solid left tackle for the next four seasons.

Donovan Smith has agreed to a four-year deal worth $41.25 million to keep him with the Bucs for the next several seasons.

Smith, who Tampa Bay drafted in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft, has become a stalwart in the Buccaneers’ offensive line since he was drafted.

The 6 foot 6, 335 pound behemoth has been a consistent starter for the Buccaneers, and has been the primary piece of the offensive line tasked with protecting quarterback Jameis Winston’s blind side.

By locking up Smith, Tampa doesn’t have to worry about finding a left tackle to fill this part of the line in what will almost certainly be a limited market.

Smith, who played college football with the Penn State Nittany Lions, was named an all-rookie selection in 2015 and has been a consistent performer for the NFC South team.

$27 million dollars of the deal for Smith is guaranteed money. Smith earned only $6 million in his four-year rookie contract with the team.

Smith is expected to continue as Tampa’s starting left tackle.

The post Buccaneers, Donovan Smith Agree to 4-Year Contract appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers will keep their backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick for one more year. The team has announced on Friday that they have resigned the 35-year-old to a 1-year deal.

Buccaneers signed Fitzpatrick last season, with the intention for him to be a backup and provide mentorship to their young quarterback Jameis Winston. He played in six games for the team, completing 96 of 163 passes (58.9%) for 1,103 yards, alongside seven touchdowns and three interceptions. He started three games, after Winston got hurt, and won two of them, averaging 248.3 passing yards per game and throwing just one interception.

“For me, at this point in my career, I’m not going to be given or gifted a chance to start anywhere probably,” – said Fitzpatrick. “And so, there’s a lot of things that weigh into it now for me that maybe didn’t years ago in terms of family and different situations. I enjoyed the year that I had here and the Tampa area in general. But I think Jameis did a good job this year, and you can see the improvement in his game, so I’d enjoy being back. I enjoyed my role this year.“

We got Fitz back for 2018! #GoBucs pic.twitter.com/kgZPULTyN0

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@TBBuccaneers) March 9, 2018

After being drafted into the league by St. Louis Rams, Ryan Fitzpatrick went on to play for several other NFL teams including Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills. After playing with different degrees of success, his best showing came in 2015, when he had 3,905 passing yards playing for New York Jets and broke the franchise passing touchdowns record with 31.

The post Tampa Bay Buccaneers Bring Back QB Ryan Fitzpatrick on a 1-Year Deal appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers started the offseason with making roster cuts. The team has announced on Tuesday that they have released running back Doug Martin and defensive tackle Chris Baker. Martin signed a five-year, $35.75 million contract extension with the Buccaneers in 2016 and was owed $7 million in the upcoming season. Baker was entering his second year of the three-year deal worth $15.75 million.

Doug Martin, former first-round draft pick, and two times Pro-Bowler had a great season in 2015 rushing for 1,402 yards which eventually got him the contract extension. His production dropped in the last two seasons, however, and he managed to average just 2.9 yards per carry.

“I want to thank the Glazer family, Jason Licht, Coach Koetter, Coach Schiano, Mark Dominik, and the Tampa Bay organization,” – Martin wrote on his Instagram account after finding out about the release. “You made my childhood dream of being an NFL player come to fruition when you drafted me and you afforded me financial independence when you awarded me my second contract. I am grateful for the impact you have had on my life.“

Chris Baker also had a disappointing performance in the last season. He joined the Buccaneers from the Washington Redskins in 2017 and supposed to be an improvement over Clinton McDonald on the position of defensive tackle. He ended up managing just 33 tackles, 0.5 sacks and two passes defended which eventually led to his release.

“I am thankful to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Organization, Glazer Family, Coach Koetter, and GM Jason Licht for the opportunity last season.” – said Baker. “I am looking forward to the next chapter in my career. I am thankful for the chance to continue to follow my dreams. God always has a plan.“

The post Tampa Bay Buccaneers Release RB Doug Martin and DT Chris Baker appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers have agreed to a deal with former Pro Bowl running back Le’Veon Bell, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The move comes less than 24 hours after the Bucs learned they will be without their leading back Leonard Fournette for the remainder of the season.

Bell will join the Bucs after playing five games with the Baltimore Ravens earlier in 2021. He managed 31 carries for 83 yards and two touchdowns before being cut in late November.

The Buccaneers are expected to make the move official once Bell passes his physical.

Despite his struggles in recent years, Bell should have a prominent role in Tampa Bay from the get-go. The team’s backfield has been depleted by injuries in recent weeks, and they don’t have much depth on the position. Their current options include former starter Ronald Jones, who has had a quiet year so far and isn’t a major factor in the passing game, and second-year player Ke’Shawn Vaughn, who only had 11 carries this season.

Le’Veon Bell was once considered one of the best running backs in the game, receiving three Pro Bowl nods during his first five years in NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, Bell’s career has been on a downward trajectory ever since he sat out the 2018 season due to a contract dispute with the Steelers.

Bell signed a big-time contract with the New York Jets ahead of the 2019 season but failed to replicate his production from his early years as a pro. He lasted less than two seasons in New York before embarking on unsuccessful stints with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Ravens.

But if there is any place where Bell could resurrect his career, Tampa Bay should be it. The Buccaneers already helped Bell’s former Steelers teammate Antonio Brown to become a factor in the league again, so it would be a surprise if they do the same for him.

The post Tampa Bay Buccaneers Set to Sign RB Le’Veon Bell appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After offseason disagreement, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have decided to call it quits with legendary defensive tackle Gerald McCoy.

The Bucs announced on Monday that they had released McCoy, who spent the past nine seasons as the anchor of Tampa’s defense.

Tampa Bay will save $39 million by releasing McCoy, who had three more years left on his contract. With McCoy at 31 years old, the Bucs and new head coach Bruce Arians decided to cut their ties with a franchise legend due to a possible impending decline.

The release comes on the heels of Arians’ controversial comments about McCoy after his hiring. The new coach said about McCoy that, “He’s not as disruptive as he was four years ago, but he’s still a good player.”

McCoy fired back on Instagram with this post:

After the offseason mess and Tampa’s commitment to retooling, it seemed best for both parties to move on.

McCoy will now be free to sign with any team he wants and go play with a championship contender for the first time in his career.

The 31-year-old made six Pro Bowls and was named an All-Pro selection three times in his time with the Bucs.

The post Tampa Bay Buccaneers Release Pro Bowl DT Gerald McCoy appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have locked up their solid left tackle for the next four seasons.

Donovan Smith has agreed to a four-year deal worth $41.25 million to keep him with the Bucs for the next several seasons.

Smith, who Tampa Bay drafted in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft, has become a stalwart in the Buccaneers’ offensive line since he was drafted.

The 6 foot 6, 335 pound behemoth has been a consistent starter for the Buccaneers, and has been the primary piece of the offensive line tasked with protecting quarterback Jameis Winston’s blind side.

By locking up Smith, Tampa doesn’t have to worry about finding a left tackle to fill this part of the line in what will almost certainly be a limited market.

Smith, who played college football with the Penn State Nittany Lions, was named an all-rookie selection in 2015 and has been a consistent performer for the NFC South team.

$27 million dollars of the deal for Smith is guaranteed money. Smith earned only $6 million in his four-year rookie contract with the team.

Smith is expected to continue as Tampa’s starting left tackle.

The post Buccaneers, Donovan Smith Agree to 4-Year Contract appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers will keep their backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick for one more year. The team has announced on Friday that they have resigned the 35-year-old to a 1-year deal.

Buccaneers signed Fitzpatrick last season, with the intention for him to be a backup and provide mentorship to their young quarterback Jameis Winston. He played in six games for the team, completing 96 of 163 passes (58.9%) for 1,103 yards, alongside seven touchdowns and three interceptions. He started three games, after Winston got hurt, and won two of them, averaging 248.3 passing yards per game and throwing just one interception.

“For me, at this point in my career, I’m not going to be given or gifted a chance to start anywhere probably,” – said Fitzpatrick. “And so, there’s a lot of things that weigh into it now for me that maybe didn’t years ago in terms of family and different situations. I enjoyed the year that I had here and the Tampa area in general. But I think Jameis did a good job this year, and you can see the improvement in his game, so I’d enjoy being back. I enjoyed my role this year.“

We got Fitz back for 2018! #GoBucs pic.twitter.com/kgZPULTyN0

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@TBBuccaneers) March 9, 2018

After being drafted into the league by St. Louis Rams, Ryan Fitzpatrick went on to play for several other NFL teams including Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills. After playing with different degrees of success, his best showing came in 2015, when he had 3,905 passing yards playing for New York Jets and broke the franchise passing touchdowns record with 31.

The post Tampa Bay Buccaneers Bring Back QB Ryan Fitzpatrick on a 1-Year Deal appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers started the offseason with making roster cuts. The team has announced on Tuesday that they have released running back Doug Martin and defensive tackle Chris Baker. Martin signed a five-year, $35.75 million contract extension with the Buccaneers in 2016 and was owed $7 million in the upcoming season. Baker was entering his second year of the three-year deal worth $15.75 million.

Doug Martin, former first-round draft pick, and two times Pro-Bowler had a great season in 2015 rushing for 1,402 yards which eventually got him the contract extension. His production dropped in the last two seasons, however, and he managed to average just 2.9 yards per carry.

“I want to thank the Glazer family, Jason Licht, Coach Koetter, Coach Schiano, Mark Dominik, and the Tampa Bay organization,” – Martin wrote on his Instagram account after finding out about the release. “You made my childhood dream of being an NFL player come to fruition when you drafted me and you afforded me financial independence when you awarded me my second contract. I am grateful for the impact you have had on my life.“

Chris Baker also had a disappointing performance in the last season. He joined the Buccaneers from the Washington Redskins in 2017 and supposed to be an improvement over Clinton McDonald on the position of defensive tackle. He ended up managing just 33 tackles, 0.5 sacks and two passes defended which eventually led to his release.

“I am thankful to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Organization, Glazer Family, Coach Koetter, and GM Jason Licht for the opportunity last season.” – said Baker. “I am looking forward to the next chapter in my career. I am thankful for the chance to continue to follow my dreams. God always has a plan.“

The post Tampa Bay Buccaneers Release RB Doug Martin and DT Chris Baker appeared first on SportzBonanza.