Buccaneers likely to re-sign Da'Quan Bowers

Update 2: Bucs have made the signing official, waiving Josh Shirley in the process.

Update: The Bucs have released defensive end Josh Shirley, making Bowers' signing likely.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are bringing back an old favorite, it seems: Da'Quan Bowers is about to be re-signed, according to Jayson Braddock and since confirmed by Greg Auman.

Bowers will likely be re-signed to fill the hole left behind by nose tackle Akeem Spence, who had to leave Sunday's loss against the New Orleans Saints with an ankle injury and seems unlikely to be ready for Thursday's game against the St. Louis Rams.

Bowers was the Bucs' second-round pick in 2011, falling in the draft due to injury and consistency concerns. Turns out those concerns were warranted: Bowers managed just seven sacks in his four-year career with the Bucs, moving between defensive end and defensive tackle, and was not re-signed until late this offseason after his contract expired. Bowers didn't make the Bucs' roster, and the team has been turning to several undrafted free agents to start at defensive end instead.

Still, Bowers has always been somewhat disruptive at defensive tackle and should provide some depth, and the fact that he knows the scheme helps his case as well. With Gerald McCoy playing with a broken hand, Akeem Spence injured and Clinton McDonald on injured reserve, Tony McDaniel and Henry Melton are now the only healthy defensive tackles on the roster, so anything Bowers can do would be helpful.