Bucs sign Seahawks free agent S Ryan Neal

Neal was very productive as a starter for Seattle in 2022, netting 66 tackles, an interception, a forced fumble and a sack on the year.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have fixed their safety problem.

Jordan Schultz of the Score reported on Tuesday that the Bucs are signing former Seattle Seahawks safety [autotag]Ryan Neal[/autotag] on a one-year deal. Neal was the starting safety for the Seahawks in 2022, so it’s very likely he’ll start for the Bucs in 2023.

Neal’s saga this free agency has been a strange one. He was initially tendered by the Seahawks as a restricted free agent, but Seattle rescinded that offer on March 31 after the team signed former Giants’ safety Julien Love to a two-year deal. The rescinded tender made Neal an unrestricted free agent, which eventually lead him to sign with the Bucs.

His 2022 was very productive, as he netted a career-high 66 tackles and had eight pass defenses along with an interception, a sack and a forced fumble. With the departures of Keanu Neal and Logan Ryan, it’s very likely that Ryan Neal will start for Tampa Bay alongside Antoine Winfield Jr.

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