Last offseason was all about reunion for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but things didn't go according to plan for everyone the team brought back. Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans were both great, with the former playing like an MVP for most of the year and the latter trying Jerry Rice's record for consecutive 1,000 yard seasons.
The same can't be said for the safety reunion that had Bucs fans hyped before the season started. Antoine Winfield Jr. signed a record-breaking new contract during the offseason but missed seven games including the last four of the regular season. Jordan Whitehead had an even rougher year, as injuries and poor play have led to his reunion with Tampa Bay ending sooner than anyone would have liked.
Whitehead was brought back in free agency after spending the last two seasons with the New York Jets. His return was a big deal, as not only did Tampa Bay need safety depth addressed but Whitehead was part of a Super Bowl-winning defense back in 2020.
Unfortunately things didn't work out, and now Whitehead will be back on the market after just one season with the Buccaneers.
Jordan Whitehead is the first cap casualty of the Buccaneers' offseason
On Wednesday, it was reported by NFL Network's Mike Garafolo that the Whitehead's option would not be picked up this offseason, effectively ending his second stint with the Bucs. He finished the year with 79 total tackles and three passes defended in 12 games.
"The Buccaneers have informed safety Jordan Whitehead they’re not exercising his option bonus, making him a free agent in a few weeks," Garafolo reported. "Whitehead is recovering from injuries suffered in a January car accident and is expected to be recovered well ahead of the season."
That last bit is really good news, as Whitehead missed Tampa Bay's last two games of the year due to injuries he sustained in that car accident. He didn't play in the division-clinching win over the Saints in Week 18 and was ruled out for the Wild Card game against Washington.
It was a tough way to wrap up not only his season with the Bucs but what turned out to be his second stint.
Whitehead was viewed as a potential cap casualty heading into the offseason, and that's exactly how things played out. Tampa Bay saved about $4.5 million by not exercising the option on his contract, which seemed like an obvious move all along. The Bucs have a number of areas to address, from finding some edge rush help to fixing the secondary -- including the safety room.
Luckily for Todd Bowles he already has a prefect replacement for Whitehead already in the building. Tykee Smith was a revelation as a rookie last season and was already talked about as a candidate to move to safety full-time next season. With Whitehead gone, that seems like a no-brainer move and will put him in a perfect position to develop alongside Winfield in the secondary.
As for Whitehead, the fact that he'll be ready to play at the start of next season is a huge relief. His time in Tampa Bay might be over, but he'll catch on somewhere else in the league and still has plenty left in the tank for whoever ends up signing him.
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