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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have placed a low tender on restricted free agent Jacquies Smith, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. This means other teams can offer Smith a contract, but the Bucs would have the right to meet the terms of that contract and hold Smith to those instead — giving them control of whether or not keep Smith.
In practice, these tenders are very rarely challenged by other teams.
#Bucs will place the low tender of $1.8 million on Restricted Free Agent DE Jacquies Smith today. Gives them right of refusal only.
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) March 7, 2017
Smith missed all but a couple of snaps in 2016, because he tore his ACL in the season opener. The defensive end was set for a big role last season, until that injury stopped him.
The Bucs are hoping that Smith will recover this offseason, and continue his previously promising development as a pass-rush specialist. He produced 6.5 sacks in 15 games in 2014, and 7 sacks in 12 games in 2015. Smith has both speed and power, though he’s a little undersized and not the best run defender around.
If he sticks with the Bucs and returns to form this season, Smith is likely to be one of two edge-rush specialists, opposite Noah Spence.