Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sign Former Eagles Starting Linebacker

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed outside linebacker, Genard Avery, yesterday to help with the teams' depth at the position.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have dealt with a magnitude of injuries so far this preseason during training camp and games. One of the areas that the team felt confident about was their linebacking core, but with the injury to backup outside linebacker Cam Gill, the position group started to thin out a bit.

On Wednesday the Bucs added four-year NFL outside linebacker Genard Avery after he was released by the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday.

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Bucs are signing linebacker Genard Avery, who was cut by the Steelers on Monday. He's 27, started 12 games for the Eagles last year with 43 tackles. Has 7.5 career sacks in four seasons. Can compete for one of the final spots on Tampa Bay's 53. @caplannfl had it first.

— Greg Auman (@gregauman) August 24, 2022

Avery's stats may not pop off the page when you look at the games he started last season with the Philadelphia Eagles, but overall he is solid at the position and should help with the Bucs' depth at the position until Gill is able to fully recover from his injury.

Avery is still a young player and may be extra motivated to perform with final roster cuts right around the corner. He will need to prove that he is worthy of one of those, but what might ultimately help keep him on the Bucs' 53-man roster is his ability to perform on special teams.

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New Bucs OLB Genard Avery has played at least 85 special-teams snaps in each of his four NFL seasons. Definitely want your depth at OLB to be able to help on coverage units.

— Greg Auman (@gregauman) August 24, 2022

Being able to help out during coverage will be huge for the Bucs' linebackers this upcoming season. For Avery to be a fixture there should only help his case in making the team. However, this won't be the only thing he needs to do in order to cement himself within the locker room come the regular season.

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