Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tender Four Exclusive Rights Free Agents

The Bucs have tendered four players, including tight end Tanner Hudson and defensive lineman Jeremiah Ledbetter.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have tendered four exclusive rights free agents, the franchise announced Tuesday afternoon.

The four players include tight end Tanner Hudson, defensive lineman Jeremiah Ledbetter, defensive lineman Pat O’Connor, and long snapper Zach Triner.

NFL franchises usually tender restricted free agents or players who started as undrafted free agents. When a player receives a tender, that player can still negotiate with other teams. Exclusive rights free agents include any player with fewer than three accrued seasons and an expired contract.

Hudson has appeared in 20 games, making one start, for Tampa Bay over the past two seasons, recording five receptions for 67 yards, including four catches in 2020. He originally entered the league as a college free agent with the Buccaneers in 2018 before spending his first season on Tampa Bay’s practice squad.

Ledbetter has recorded 18 tackles, six quarterback hits, and 1.5 sacks over 20 career games since entering the league as a sixth-round selection by the Detroit Lions in the 2017 NFL Draft. After playing his rookie season in Detroit, Ledbetter has spent time on Tampa Bay’s practice squad or active roster in each of the past three seasons.

O’Connor has played 27 games with the Buccaneers from 2017-20, recording five tackle, two quarterback hits, and one total sack, while being a core contributor on special teams where he has five tackles and one blocked punt, which he recovered.

Triner has played in all 32 games for Tampa Bay since signing with the team in 2019, recording three special teams tackles.

According to overthecap.com, a tender is "no different" than a futures deal impact.

"The tender carries no guarantees and is for the minimum salary that the CBA allows a player to play for," according to overthecap.com's Jason Fitzgerald."Because the salaries are so cheap, for most teams it makes no impact on a team’s salary cap position if they already had 51 players under contract."

In general, the tender blocks free agency so once a player is tendered there is really no reason for them not to sign the tender, according to overthecap.com.

The Bucs are continuing to have conversations with multiple free agents in efforts of retaining the majority of the Super Bowl-winning squad, including the franchise tag on wide receiver Chris Godwin and are having serious discussions with edge rusher Shaquil Barrett.

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Stay tuned to AllBucs.com for updates on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers free agency and more.