Eric Weddle not drawing Buccaneers interest

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are not in the mix for free safety Eric Weddle, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times. Weddle would fit the Bucs' apparent strategy strategy of signing defenders nearing the end of their careers, as they did with Robert Ayers and Brent Grimes, but apparently he doesn't quite bring what they want.

The Bucs have been linked to free agent safeties, most notably the Bengals' Reggie Nelson and Chris Conte, who played for them last year. The Bucs are reportedly in a "three-team race" for the latter. Bradley McDougald, Keith Tandy and Major Wright are the only safeties Tampa Bay has under contract, and none of those are exactly difference makers.

Other safeties the Bucs could still target include Walter Thurmond, though he might be retiring and Tony Jefferson, who was not tendered by the Cardinals as a restricted free agent. William Moore was cut by the Falcons earlier this year and has an obvious history with defensive coordinator Mike Smith, so he might be targeted as well. If all that fails, maybe the Bucs will actually contemplate actually drafting a safety for once.