The Buccaneers have decided to move on from one of their top safeties. Greg Auman of The Athletic reports (via Twitter) that the team won’t be tendering restricted free agent safety Andrew Adams.
It’s a bit of a surprising development for the 26-year-old, who led the Buccaneers with four interceptions last season. The former undrafted free agent also compiled nine passes defended and 38 tackles, his third-straight season with at least 30 tackles. On the flip side, he ultimately ranked 78th in Pro Football Focus‘ safety rankings, and he earned his worst score in three years
Ultimately, the team decided that the $2.05MM tender value was too much. However, Auman cautions that the organization could look to bring Adams back at a lesser value. That could be a good decision for defensive coordinator Todd Bowles and the Buccaneers coaching staff, as former starter Chris Conte is set to his free agency.
The Buccaneers currently have three safeties under contract for the 2019 season: Jordan Whitehead, Justin Evans, and M.J. Stewart.