Cameron Brate, five other Buccaneers sign their one-year contracts

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have officially retained the services of six players who were going to stick around anyway, because NFL collective bargaining rules effectively prevented them from signing elsewhere.

Cornerback Jude Adjei-Barimah, tight end Cameron Brate, linebacker Adarius Glanton, wide receiver Adam Humphries and wide receiver Freddie Martino signed their exclusive rights contracts, while quarterback Ryan Griffin signed his restricted free agent contract.

Exclusive rights contracts come with league minimum salaries somewhere around $615,000, while Griffin’s restricted free agent contract will come it at around $1.8 million. The Bucs can cut these players at any time and owe them nothing, though of these six players only Martino and Glanton need to be worried about their roster spots.

The Bucs are likely working on a long-term extension for Brate, who broke out as a legitimate, reliable receiving tight end last season. Humphries was the team’s main slot receiver last season and may also receive a long-term extension.

Adjei-Barimah got a lot of playing time as a backup and looked good doing so, although a four-game PED suspension and the team’s depth at cornerback will likely stop them from offering him a long-term contract for at least this season.

Mostly this was all a formality. One exception here: defensive end Jacquies Smith, who was offered a restricted free agent tender and got some interest from the San Francisco 49ers. The defensive end has until Friday to sign his tender, after which he’ll be holding out.

If another team wants to sign him to a contract, he’ll have to sign that offer this week, at which point the Bucs will have five days to match it or let him sign with that team.