(Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
To say that it’s been a tough offseason for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could be a bit of an understatement.
No offense, but going from Tom Brady to Baker Mayfield doesn’t seem like much of an upgrade, and it’s not like they have a ton of money or cap space to significantly bolster their squad.
Nonetheless, they still managed to make quite an impactful and impressive signing at one of their biggest areas of need.
The Bucs signed former Seattle Seahawks safety Ryan Neal to a one-year deal, bringing in some much-needed help at the position.
Ryan Neal is officially a Buccaneer pic.twitter.com/bB2pjEzN9Q
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) April 6, 2023
Notably, this signing was a bit of a shocker, all things considered.
He was initially tendered as a restricted free agent, but the team shockingly rescinded their offer shortly after signing former Giants safety Julian Love on a short-term deal.
It’s unusual to see a team lean in that direction with one of its restricted free agents, let alone one who was a starter for them the very last season.
Neal is coming off a very solid campaign, logging one interception and one forced fumble with eight passes defended and a career-best 66 tackles.
The Bucs desperately craved someone at that position alongside Antoine Winfield Jr. to make up for the tough losses of both Logan Ryan and Keanu Neal, so he might be in line for another big role, this time in the NFC South.
As for the Bucs’ chances of going back to the playoffs, well, let’s just say the defense will need to take a big leap forward.
The post The Buccaneers Make A Notable New Signing Official appeared first on The Cold Wire.