Tampa Bay Buccaneers bring back Brent Grimes
By James Yarcho
Another Tampa Bay Buccaneers player will return for the 2018 season as Jason Licht has locked up Brent Grimes for one more season.
Although this doesn’t completely solve the cornerback issue, it certainly helps! The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will see the return of cornerback Brent Grimes for the 2018 season according to Mike Silver;
One potential free-agent answer at CB is off the market: Brent Grimes has agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Bucs that could pay him up to $10 million, according to @iHeartMiko (who is in Twitter jail). @AroundTheNFL @nflnetwork
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) March 12, 2018
I'll try to give you the exact Brent Grimes/Bucs numbers soon--depending upon how good the in-flight wifi is.... unless @iHeartMiko has her Twitter-jail sentence commuted first...
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) March 12, 2018
The deal is reportedly worth up to $10 million dollars for the one season. It’s not known yet how much is guaranteed, but it’s likely loaded with incentives;
The #Bucs are bringing back CB Brent Grimes, per @MikeSilver. He gets a 1-year deal worth up to $10M, source said. A nice payday.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 12, 2018
The Buccaneers still need to address the cornerback position via free agency and the draft in order to begin grooming the new era of corners, but the veteran presence and voice of Grimes in the film room and on the field helps the transition.
This by no means should take Tampa Bay out of the running for E.J. Gaines, as Trumaine Johnson seems like a pipe dream at this point. In addition to another free agent corner, the Buccaneers need to look to day three of the draft to get a developmental guy to groom for 2019 and beyond.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers bring back linebacker depth
In addition to Grimes, the Bucs are also keeping some linebacker depth, coming to terms with linebacker Adarius Glanton.
Bucs are re-signing LB Adarius Glanton, key backup and special-teams player. He gets a one-year, $790,000 base salary, plus $250,000 signing bonus.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) March 12, 2018
Glanton was non-tendered -- would have been $1.9-million -- but Bucs keep key LB depth with less expensive one-year deal. He's expected to be back in spring from broken leg suffered in 2017 season finale.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) March 12, 2018
It was vital for the Bucs to address depth. Despite how strong the starting corps is, we saw last season with injuries to Kwon Alexander and Lavonte David, depth is key.
Next: Bucs Ink Brate To Six Year Extension
More details are sure to come regarding the guarantees versus incentives for Brent Grimes’ deal, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are making some smart moves early on before their players officially hit free agency.