The Buccaneers bolster their defensive line, bringing back a Super Bowl champion. Nunez-Roches returns to familiar faces and a system where he excelled.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are bringing back Rakeem Nunez-Roches, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reported late Friday.
Nunez-Roches and the Bucs agreed to terms on a one-year deal, reuniting after the veteran defensive tackle spent three seasons with the New York Giants.
Nunez-Roches started his career in Kansas City before playing for Tampa Bay from 2018-2023, helping the Bucs hoist the Lombardi in Super Bowl LV in 2020. In his five seasons in Tampa, he appeared in 68 regular-season games and amassed 81 total tackles and two sacks, serving as a key rotational piece on the defensive front.
In 2023, Nunez-Roches had his best NFL season as a Buc, recording 33 tackles and both of his sacks. This earned the former sixth-round pick a three-year, $12 million contract in New York, where Nunez-Roches produced in a slightly larger role.
In his last two seasons with the Giants, Nunez-Roches collected 75 tackles and five sacks. He also recorded the first four pass deflections of his career.
Nunez-Roches returns to a franchise and coaching staff that he is familiar with, as head coach Todd Bowles was his defensive coordinator for four seasons.
At the NFL owners meetings in Phoenix, Arizona, early this week, Bowles said despite the recent signings of A'Shawn Robinson and Al-Quadin Muhammad, the Bucs still need to beef up on the defensive line, actually mentioning Nunez-Roches specifically.
"They had edge. I don't know if we were sturdy enough upfront defensively from a size standpoint. We've had, like you said, we've had [William] Gholston and we've had [Nunez-Roches] and we've had [Ndamukong] Suh," Bowles said. "So we haven't had the sturdiness, so to speak. And with A'Shawn coming in, I think he brings some of that and Al [Muhammad] brings that type of attitude too. So we're trying to get back to having a stout defensive front that can help everybody else."
Nunez-Roches is a run stuffer, helping man a Bucs run defense that allowed the fewest rushing yards of any team, during his tenure, at 93 yards per game.
He should provide a complementary fit with Vita Vea, who is one of the best run defenders in the league. His familiarity with Bowles and many of his Bucs teammates should make his transition back to Tampa a seamless one.
Join our ROUNDTABLE community! It's free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.
Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!