Buccaneers' decision to not re-sign defensive lineman is a surprising one
Tom Brady is back, but the Buccaneers still have some decisions to make when it comes to the salary cap. One of those decisions is restricted free agent Pat O'Connor, who has been with the team since 2017. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Tuesday that the Buccaneers will not re-sign/tender O'Connor, thus making him an […]
Tom Brady is back, but the Buccaneers still have some decisions to make when it comes to the salary cap.
One of those decisions is restricted free agent Pat O'Connor, who has been with the team since 2017. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Tuesday that the Buccaneers will not re-sign/tender O'Connor, thus making him an unrestricted free agent.
O'Connor's restricted free agent status is based off the fact that he has three accrued seasons in the NFL. Meaning, he's only been on the Buccaneers' roster for six or more games for three of his four years in the league. Whether it be injured reserve, the active roster, or the Physically Unable to Perform list.
Tampa Bay could've chosen to use the original-round tender or right-of-first-refusal tender on O'Connor, which would've paid him a little more than $2.4 million in 2022. It would've been a nice bump in salary for O'Connor, who's made a little more than $2.55 million during his career. The Buccaneers also could've offered O'Connor less like they did with Antony Auclair in 2020, but they obviously decided not to go that route.
As Pelissero notes, O'Connor has been a glue guy on special teams over the last few years and he even cracked the defensive line rotation before tearing his ACL in Week 15 against the New Orleans Saints.
It's a shame to see him go, but this is the price of doing business in the NFL. O'Connor should land with another team in the future, however, as he's shown a tenacity and relentless work ethic over the years in Tampa Bay.
Featured image via Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
