The Buccaneers saw Ali Marpet retire and have their other two longtime interior offensive line starters — Ryan Jensen and Alex Cappa — on the cusp of free agency. Uncertain up front, the team retained one of its inside depth pieces Saturday.
Aaron Stinnie reached an agreement to stay with Tampa Bay, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com notes. A three-year Bucs backup, Stinnie is coming back on a one-year deal worth up to $2.5MM.
Entering the NFL as a UDFA out of Division I-FCS James Madison, Stinnie has only started one regular-season game in four seasons. After moving from Tennessee to Tampa in 2019, via waiver claim, Stinnie became a valuable part for the Bucs during their 2020 Super Bowl run. Cappa’s season-ending injury led to Stinnie playing the bulk of Tampa Bay’s playoff snaps opposite Marpet. Stinnie started the final three Bucs playoff games that year.
Marpet’s retirement and Cappa’s potential free agency exit make Stinnie, 28, a possible cheap alternative. He will have a chance to start in 2022, Laine adds. The Bucs want to re-sign Cappa, but the four-year starter appears poised to test the market.
Good signing at an experienced depth piece.