Tampa Bay Buccaneers sign defensive tackle Nick Thurman

ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 31: Nick Thurman #91 of the Houston Cougars reacts after stopping a run by Florida State Seminoles in the second quarter during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at the Georgia Dome on December 31, 2015 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 31: Nick Thurman #91 of the Houston Cougars reacts after stopping a run by Florida State Seminoles in the second quarter during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at the Georgia Dome on December 31, 2015 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

After a relatively quiet couple of weeks, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers make news by signing free agent defensive tackle Nick Thurman.

In a relatively slow news day, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced that they have signed free agent defensive tackle Nick Thurman. After playing his college football at the University of Houston, Thurman went undrafted in the 2018 NFL Draft before signing in the same city with the Texans.

Thurman did not make the final cuts for the Houston Texans and did not sign with another team last year; he even tried out for the AAF’s San Antonio Commanders, but got cut by the team prior to the beginning of the league’s one and only season. While the details of the deal have not been released, it will more than likely come in at the league minimum with little to no guaranteed money, allowing the Buccaneers to cut bait at any time.

In four seasons with the Cougars, Thurman was a three-year starter playing next to 2019 draft prospect Ed Oliver, who has also visited with the Buccaneers. During his college career at the university of Houston, Thurman tallied 93 total tackles, 16 of which came behind the line of scrimmage, and recorded 4.5 career sacks.

The 6’4 and 295 pound 23-year-old defensive tackle will have the chance to compete with defensive lineman Beau Allen, Jeremiah Ledbetter, Rakeem Nunez-Roches and others. In new defensive coordinator Todd Bowles’ 3-4 defensive scheme, Thurman will likely fit into the role of interior defensive end; he can also play defensive tackle in 4-3 packages as well.

With the murkiness surrounding the future of longtime Buccaneer and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, Tampa Bay seems to be taking as many precautions as possible. The writing seems to be on the wall for McCoy, and the signing of Thurman gives the Buccaneers some much-needed depth along their defensive line.

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