National media outlet says veteran player could be cut this summer by Buccaneers
ESPN thinks a veteran Tampa Bay Buccaneers player is in danger of being cut this summer. Jenna Laine, who covers the Buccaneers for ESPN, suggested this week that running back Giovani Bernard is on the roster bubble entering training camp. From ESPN: With Leonard Fournette becoming a three-down back, Ke'Shawn Vaughn's improvement and the Bucs selecting Rachaad White in the […]
ESPN thinks a veteran Tampa Bay Buccaneers player is in danger of being cut this summer.
Jenna Laine, who covers the Buccaneers for ESPN, suggested this week that running back Giovani Bernard is on the roster bubble entering training camp.
With Leonard Fournette becoming a three-down back, Ke'Shawn Vaughn's improvement and the Bucs selecting Rachaad White in the third round of the NFL draft, where does that leave Bernard? He'll be 31 in November, and he caught 23 passes for 123 yards and had 58 rushing yards on eight carries last year. If White assimilates into the Bucs' system quickly and can consistently pick up a blitz, Bernard could be left out.
I can definitely see how Bernard's roster spot is in danger. He's an aging running back and the Bucs have several different options that are younger and arguably more talented.
If Rachaad White, the Bucs' third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, quickly picks up the offense, it will all but seal Bernard's fate.
The only thing working in Bernard's favor is that Tampa Bay won't really save much by releasing him. He carries an $895,000 dead cap hit, meaning the Bucs would only save $152,500 by releasing him. It could be in their best interest to keep the veteran around since he knows the offense well after spending the 2021 season with the Buccaneers.
Featured image via Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
