Free agency is about making your team better with new acquisitions, but it’s also about shoring up your depth and making sure your team is ready in the event of an injury. Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht knows that well, and he’s been making sure his team is secure all offseason through re-signings.
Some of those are big, such as wideout Chris Godwin and guard Ben Bredeson. And while some are smaller, they’re still important, because they can shore up depth in places that need it. Licht made a signing of that ilk on Friday, bringing back defensive tackle Eric Banks on a one-year deal worth $1.03 million, per FOX Sports’ Greg Auman.
Banks came to the Buccaneers last year in 2024 after spending two years with the Arizona Cardinals. He’s also played for the Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers and Detroit Lions, and he missed the entire season last year after tearing his triceps. He’ll be competing in camp for a backup defensive line spot, and he could do it against a draft pick in this year’s NFL Draft.
Rotation is important when it comes to defensive linemen, and if any of them go down, it’s helpful to have players who know the system well to step right in. Banks is one of those players, and if his camp goes well, he could find himself as a contributor for the Bucs down the line.