The Tampa Bay Buccaneers saw enough out of several tryout players at rookie minicamp to bring them back for the rest of the offseason, at least. That meant some veterans had to go.
“Among the moves to make room for signing tryout players from rookie minicamp, Bucs have waived outside linebacker Benton Whitley, who spent the second half of last season on their practice squad,” Fox Sports NFL reporter Greg Auman wrote on his official X account on Monday. “He’s 27, last played with the Giants in 2024.”
Whitley, 6-foot-4 and 260 pounds, went undrafted out of Holy Cross in 2022 after being named a 3-time All-Patriot League and finishing his college career with 111 tackles, 15.5 sacks, and 26.5 TFL in 42 games.
In his 1st 4 NFL seasons, Whitley has played for 6 teams following previous stints with the Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, and Arizona Cardinals — a stint in which he’s played in just 6 regular-season games.
The Buccaneers initially signed Whitley before Week 11 in the 2025 regular season.
“The edge rusher registered 2.5 preseason sacks with the Giants in 2024,” Heavy’s Michael Obermuller wrote in November 2025. “In 6 regular season appearances with Minnesota and New York, Whitley logged 74 combined special teams snaps and 16 defensive snaps. His only recorded statistics are 1 fumble recovery and 1 pass breakup.”
Bucs Signed 2 Promising Prospects After Minicamp
The Buccaneers signed a pair of undrafted free agents in wide receiver Dean Patterson and edge rusher Yasir Holmes after getting firsthand looks at them during rookie minicamp.
Patterson, 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, ran a 4.5-second 40-yard dash at Georgia Tech’s Pro Day and scored 10 touchdowns over the last 2 seasons at Georgia Tech and FIU.
“Another tryout player signing from Bucs rookie minicamp, pending a physical Monday: Dean Patterson, a receiver from FIU and Georgia Tech,” Fox Sports NFL reporter Greg Auman wrote on his official X account on Sunday. ” … had 8 TDs at FIU, 2 more at GT last year. Started his college career at D-II Findlay.”
Holmes, 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, had 16.0 sacks and 31.5 TFL over the last 2 seasons at Tarleton State and NCAA Division II Frostburg State.
Holmes Projects as Instant Special Teams Ace
Holmes has the size and speed to make the 53-man roster as a special teams ace and provide much-needed depth at edge rusher. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.67 seconds at Tarleton State’s Pro Day, which means he has high-level speed for his position.
“Fire those cannons!” Tarleton State wrote on its official X account on April 26. “Congratulations to Yasir Holmes for receiving a rookie mini camp invite from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers!”
“Work not done but it’s all God,” Holmes wrote on his own X account after receiving the invite.
The Buccaneers are entering a whole new world at edge rusher after Miami’s Rueben Bain dropped to them at No. 15 overall in the 2026 NFL draft.
It’s not a stretch to say that Bain has generated as much buzz as any defensive draft pick for the Buccaneers in a generation. Not since they took a pair of future Pro Football Hall of Famers and future NFL Defensive Players of the Year in the 1st round of the 1995 NFL draft with defensive tackle Warren Sapp and inside linebacker Derrick Brooks.
Buccaneers Part Ways With 6-foot-4, 260-Pound Edge Rusher