Veteran safety works out for Tampa Bay Buccaneers today

As the injuries are beginning to pile up for the safety group of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they are bringing in a veteran safety for a workout.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been short staffed at the safety position this summer, and they are looking to rectify that this week. Already signing safety Micah Abernathy, an undrafted rookie from the University of Tennessee, the Buccaneers had a workout with veteran Marcus Gilchrist today.

With Justin Evans still not practicing since a foot injury that ended his 2018 season, Orion Stewart tearing his ACL, and Mike Edwards coming up limp last week, the Buccaneers have been rolling with Jordan Whitehead and Kentrell Brice for the most part. Adding Gilchrist would give the Buccaneers a veteran leader in the back half of their secondary as well as some depth to make it through the rest of the preseason.

Gilchrist, a former second round pick of the San Diego (now Los Angeles) Chargers back in 2011, is entering his ninth year in the league at the age of 30. While starting just eight games over the first two years of his career, Gilchrist has been a bonafide starter over the last six years for the New York Jets, Houston Texans, and Oakland Raiders.

Throughout his career, Gilchrist has tallied 14 total interceptions, 39 passes defended, and 17 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. The veteran safety set a career high in interceptions just last year with three for the Raiders; he also defended six additional passes in 2018.

In New York with the Jets for two years in 2015 and 2016, Gilchrist played under then head coach and now defensive coordinator of the Buccaneers’ Todd Bowles. With Gilchrist coming in for a workout and history with Bowles, it is now wondered how long until a deal gets done between the two the safety and the Buccaneers.