The Buccaneers have had a busy Wednesday morning.
Before most people have poured their first cup of coffee, they already extended tackle Donovan Smith. And now comes the news another key player being re-signed: Per Ian Rappoport and Tom Pelissero, Ndamukong Suh is the latest free agent to return to the Buccaneers.
The #Bucs are finalizing a 1-year deal to re-sign DT Ndamukong Suh, source said. Another Super Bowl champ headed back to Tampa.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 24, 2021
Pelissero reports that it’s a one-year, $9 million deal that can be worth up to $10 million in incentives.
Thanks to Smith’s extension, the Bucs were able to bring back one of their key defenders from the last two years. Suh is an anchor on a defensive line that managed lead the league in run defense over the past two seasons. And that was without Vita Vea for 11 games in 2020.
Aside from his impact on the run defense, Suh finished fourth on the team with 6.0 sacks during the regular season, adding 1.5 more in the Super Bowl. It’s pretty obvious how important it is for him to return for the 2021 season.
With Suh back in the fold I expect the team to turn their attention to Antonio Brown and possibly Leonard Fournette. It’s rare for a Super Bowl winning team to return this many players from its championship season, but the Buccaneers have made it happen.
