Buccaneers sign versatile running back Andre Ellington
By Cory Kinnan
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced today that the team has signed veteran running back Andre Ellington, who played for five seasons with Bruce Arians in Arizona.
At 4:00pm EST today, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced that they had signed free agent running back Andre Ellington. The running back out of Clemson and has familiarity with Bruce Arians from their time together in Arizona with the Cardinals and what he is hoping to do offensively.
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After several tryouts during last year’s offseason, Ellington did not get a contract and sat out the entire 2018 season, much like Arians. The 5’9 and 200 pound running back was a sixth round pick back in 2013 and is hoping to reignite his NFL career, reuniting with his former coach.
Ellington enters the 2019 season at the age of 30, and is hoping to stick with his former coach for the long haul. He has not played since being claimed by the Houston Texans in 2017, where he played only four games and did not produce much of a stat line.
In his five seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, Ellington put up 1,700 rushing yards and ten scores, averaging over four yards per attempt. In addition, the versatile back showed great potential catching the ball out of the backfield, putting up nearly 1,400 additional yards and three scores through the air on 151 catches out of the backfield.
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While the veteran running back adds depth to the running back room, this should not inhibit Buccaneers from bringing in another back to carry the majority of the workload. With Peyton Barber heading into the offseason as a restricted free agent, it is uncertain who that back will be. However, in the meantime, we welcome Ellington to Tampa Bay and look forward to seeing what he can do on the field and in the community.