The Tampa Bay Buccaneers aren’t known for splash signings in free agency. But the Bucs did make a small one this time around, and it’s garnering some praise from the national media.

The Bucs signed edge rusher Haason Reddick to a one-year deal worth $14 million on the first day of free agency, which brought the elite pass rusher to Tampa Bay. Reddick had a rough year last year, but that was largely because he held out for a better contract after being traded from the Philadelphia Eagles to the New York Jets and didn’t get activated until Week 6. As a result, he only had one sack — but the four years prior, he had 11 or more, and the Bucs are hoping to tap in to that potential.

ESPN recently published an article where its pundits went over their picks for the best signing of free agency, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler picked Reddick’s signing by the Bucs. Here’s what he had to say about the fit:

“The Bucs signing defensive end Haason Reddick. Tampa Bay got out of its draft-and-develop comfort zone and invested $14 million in a one-year deal with Reddick, who had four consecutive double-digit-sack seasons before last year’s holdout sabotaged his 2024 campaign with the Jets. With a full offseason, he should get back on track. And the Bucs know they are at their best with an elite pass rush, as they proved during their 2020 Super Bowl run.”

The Bucs will hope that Reddick goes back to his usual form, but they’ll also hope that he can mentor young players like Yaya Diaby and Chris Braswell in the edge rushing room. If he’s able to do that, this signing by Tampa Bay could be a home run.

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