Buccaneers Secure Important Free Agent: Report

Ryan Succop

Getty Ryan Succop celebrates a field goal for the Buccaneers in 2020.

Tampa Bay will keep consistency in the kicking game after re-signing free agent Ryan Succop on Wednesday evening per reports.

The Buccaneers re-signed the veteran kicker to a three-year $12 million contract per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Succop will get $6.25 million guaranteed and $8.25 million in the first two seasons.

The Bucs will get a salary cap hit of $2.4 million according to ESPN’s Jenna Laine.

Succop’s agent, Jole Turner, shared the news with ESPN per Laine.

“On behalf of Ryan Succop and his family, we just want to thank the Glazer family, Jason Licht and the administration staff, Coach Arians and the coaching staff for their commitment to wanting to win another title, or more, and for wanting Ryan there to be a part of it,” Turner said per Laine.

Bucs punter Bradley Pinion had some fun with the news on Twitter. “I know who is buying dinner next,” Pinion wrote.


Shoring up the Kicking Game

Succop went 52-57 on extra points and 28-31 on field goals. He nailed seven of nine attempts from 40-49 yards per Pro Football Reference.

His re-signing brings stability to the position that the Bucs haven’t seen since 2010-2012 with Connor Barth according to ESPN Statistics & Information via Laine. The Bucs haven’t had consecutive seasons with the same kicker between then and now, Laine wrote.

Succop came to the Bucs on a $1.05 million contract for one year in 2020 per Laine. He previously played for Tennessee Titans from 2014 to 2019 and the Kansas City Chiefs from 2009 to 2013. In Tampa, he beat out Matt Gay and Elliott Fry for the kicking job per Sports Illustrated’s All Bucs.

The former Titan had knee issues in 2019 per Pelissero but showed signs of progress in a workout video after the NFL lifted its tryout ban. Succop hit a couple 60-yard ones per Pelissero.

The former seventh-round draft pick from South Carolina owns an 83-percent career field goal percentage and a 96.3-percent career mark on extra points.


Battening Down the Hatches on Free Agency

Tampa kept its free agency momentum going with the singing of Succop, the third free agent to re-sign with the team this week.

The Bucs secured linebacker Shaq Barrett and tight end Rob Gronkowski on Monday, and the team re-signed guard Aaron Stinnie on Wednesday before Succop. Bucs linebackers Lavonte David and Kevin Minter re-signed last week, and the Bucs franchise-tagged wide receiver Chris Godwin.

Plenty of work remains as the Bucs have notable free agents to re-sign among their remaining 19 — wide receiver Antonio Brown, running back Leonard Fournette, and defensive end Ndamukong Suh.

Head coach Bruce Arians and general manager Jason Licht first said they wanted the 2020 team back during the boat parade, and they’ve pursued that goal since.

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