Connor Barth signs four-year deal with Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed Connor Barth to a four-year, $13.2 million deal with $4 million in guaranteed money, according to Adam Schefter. Barth has been supremely accurate throughout his career with the Buccaneers, making 26 of 28 field goals last season and hitting 84% overall. He hasn't wilted under pressure, either, as he has hit game-winning field goals whenever given the chance to make one - and he has yet to miss a field goal to win a game.

Given the way the Bucs have structured their previous contracts, I would expect the team to have guaranteed his first-year salary, which should be $4 million. That would leave around $3 million per year for the last three years of his contract. As I explained previously, I am not a fan of this kind of contract for Barth. While he's been very valuable as a field goal kicker, he does not add any value on kickoffs, and field goal accuracy isn't that consistent from year to year. Is Barth worth $3.3 million per year more than a kicker off the street?

Still, at least the Bucs won't have to worry about their punting or kicking positions for the next few years.

In addition, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed veteran receiver Wallace Wright, who was with the New York Jets from 2006 through 2009 mostly as a core special teamer. Note: he played at North Carolina in college, another Butch Davis connection. The Bucs also signed rookie free agent Armahd Lewis, who was a track star at Utah State. To make room for these two, they released former North Carolina G Mike Ingersoll and rookie TE Tyler Urban, previously with West Virginia.