Buccaneers: Jacquies Smith signs RFA tender to remain with team
Buccaneers defensive end Jacquies Smith signed RFA tender to return to Tampa Bay.
Depth at any position is important, and the Buccaneers know that. It’s especially important to have depth along the defensive line. We often talk about the ability to close out games. One of the toughest things to do in this league is to close out a game with the lead in the fourth quarter. The trouble is that the pass rush doesn’t have fresh legs and can’t get to the quarterback.
This is where the depth comes in. With a good rotation of players along the defensive line, stars like Noah Spence and Robert Ayers will have strength in the fourth quarter to finish out games. More losses will turn into wins which will make all of us very happy.
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Jacquies Smith is back to be a part of the solution. The team announced on Wednesday that Smith has signed his tender and will rejoin the Bucs for the 2017 season. He paid a visit to the San Francisco 49ers, but he left without a deal, leaving the Bucs as the only team interested.
The tender is worth $1.8 million, non-guaranteed because he was given an original round tender (per Pro Football Rumors).
In two years prior to last season, Smith was an effective situational pass rusher. He put up 6.5 sacks in 2014 and seven sacks in 2015. Unfortunately, an injury derailed his 2016 season in week one, and now Smith returns as part of the defensive line rotation for Mike Smith and company.
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Are you guys happy that Smith is back? Sound off in the comments.