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In recent years the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have drafted a few players whose talent outmatches their draft position, but injury caused their stock to plummet as they entered the NFL.
Linebacker Kendall Beckwith might be the most talked about, but Jack Cichy looks like he’ll be the one making the biggest impact on this year’s team.
With a deadline set for 4:00 p.m. Saturday, every NFL team is busy scrubbing their rosters to figure out which players they’ll keep, which they’ll move on from, and which they’ll try to keep on the practice squad.
If head coach Bruce Arians’ words today are a signal of things to come, the former Wisconsin prospect will be sticking around to help Todd Bowles return the Buccaneers defense to prominence.
#Bucs HC Bruce Arians said last week his message to the roster bubble guys was “play your ass off and make it so I can’t cut you” going into the 4th preseason game.
— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) August 30, 2019
I asked if anyone did that, and he immediately said “Jack Cichy.”
Looks like Cichy’s a lock.
Good news for the Bucs, as Cichy has been known dating back to his collegiate days as a leader among his teammates and once famously sacked the opposing quarterback on three consecutive plays in a bowl game.
Injuries derailed what was expected to be a stellar career in the Big Ten, and Cichy again fell to injury cutting his 2018 short.
The linebacker looks healthy and has been playing fast this preseason. So it’s no surprise to discover Cichy looks like a lock to stick on the 53-man roster this weekend.