Scotty Miller leaves Buccaneers to sign with NFC South rival

Scotty Miller is the latest Tampa Bay Buccaneers player to exit stage left this offseason, but he isn’t leaving the NFC South.

We all knew this offseason would be a tough one for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and that some familiar faces would soon become friendly foes.

Scotty Miller is the latest player to leave the Bucs in free agency, a casualty of the team’s need to watch how much it spends in the wake of the Tom Brady era ending.

It’s a bittersweet moment for Bucs fans, as Miller is leaving behind memories that will last forever — including delivering an absolutely iconic moment in the 2020 NFC Championship Game. However, he’s not going far, as Miller will be staying in the NFC South which means there will be some conflicting feelings about how to digest the loss.

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According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Miller will be joining the Atlanta Falcons.

“Bucs free-agent WR Scotty Miller is staying in the NFC South, reaching an agreement on a one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons, per source,” Schefter reported on Tuesday.

While it hurts to see Miller go to a division rival, it’s hard to not feel good for him. Miller gets a fresh start with a team that has a big need for a speedy receiver like him.

Buccaneers lose Scotty Miller to Atlanta, but the memories are forever

Miller emerged as a top target for Tom Brady, who always loved his speedy slot receivers and got the most of him during their first year together in Tampa Bay.

It was a relationship that culminated in one of the most iconic catches in Buccaneers history — you know which one I’m talking about.

Miller’s touchdown catch against the Packers helped catapult the Bucs to a Super Bowl, and was instrumental in winning the team its second title.

Unfortunately, that might have been the peak of his career in Tampa Bay. Miller was buried behind some great wide receiver depth the following two seasons and never re-emerged as the type of threat he was in 2020.

That’s what the Falcons are getting, and it’s bittersweet to see such an important and talented player slip away to a rival. Atlanta has a clear need for him, and a place to give him the reps he deserves, and it’s difficult to not want the best for Miller next season — except for two specific games on the Falcons schedule.