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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a pretty limited list of free agents this year. There's no one who the Bucs really need to re-sign, and the biggest-name free agent is probably middle linebacker Mason Foster. He's a solid player who can function in the Bucs' Tampa 2-based system, but would probably be more valuable in a different defense. The Bucs are more likely to move Danny Lansanah to the middle than to re-sign Foster.
Beyond Foster, the Bucs could re-sign Adrian Clayborn, Da'Quan Bowers, Major Wright, Mike Jenkins and Luke Stocker, but none of them should be priorities. Of those four, only Major Wright would likely be a starter -- and even that only if Dashon Goldson is not retained.
The Bucs should have between $15 million and $50 million in cap space this year, depending on how costly Lavonte David's likely contract extension is, and which players they cut to save cap space. They're almost certain to move on from Michael Koenen and Anthony Collins, which should give them some $6 million in extra space.
Here's the full list of free agents, courtesy of Over The Cap.
Unrestricted free agents
DE Adrian Clayborn
LB Mason Foster
CB Mike Jenkins
LB Dane Fletcher
DE Da'Quan Bowers
OL Oniel Cousin
S Major Wright
DE Larry English
DE Lawrence Sidbury
LB Jason Williams
TE Luke Stocker
Restricted free agents
RB Bobby Rainey
CB Leonard Johnson
Restricted free agents can be retained by tagging the players at a cost of between around $1.5 and $3 million depending on the exact tag, defined by the draft pick compensation received if the player signs elsewhere instead of accepting his tender. That compensation is either a first-round tender, a second-round tender or an "original round" tender, which would be no compensation at all in these two cases.
Exclusive rights free agents
LB Orie Lemon
LB Danny Lansanah
FB Jorvorskie Lane
S Bradley McDougald
TE Drake Dunsmore
These players can be forced to sign one-year, league-minimum contracts, so they can be retained at minimal cost.
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