Tampa Bay Buccaneers waive former Georgia Bulldogs, 2022 fourth-round NFL draft pick
On Tuesday afternoon, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers waived a former fourth-round NFL draft pick, punter Jake Camarda. The former Georgia Bulldog specialist had been struggling this season.
Coach Todd Bowles released a statement on the decision via social media.
Camarda was averaging 45.3 yards per punt, which ranked a disappointing 31st in the league. He had only five punts that landed inside the 20, which was 29th. It was decision neither side wanted, but it seemed inevitable given the Buccaneers are looking to contend in the NFC. Tampa Bay has no room for error after it suffered multiple devastating injuries on Monday Night Football.
The former highly touted punter will look for a new NFL home. When he is on top of his game, he was one of the best punters throughout the league.
Each year, the league releases a new customized lid for each team that is given to prospects who are selected at the event. Notably, the first-round picks are handed a jersey, that year’s draft hat, and go over and give a hug to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
There are four versions for each team’s hat that come in stretch fit, snapback and fitted varieties, with prices varying on each. On Monday, every team’s version was released… except the Houston Texans and New York Jets.
Sorry Texans and Jets fans, with those clubs releasing new uniforms soon there’s still a bit of waiting to do.
We’ll bring you those updates, but for the other 30 teams, check out your favorite team’s newest headgear and be the first fan in your friend group to own a 2024 NFL Draft hat by checking them all out at Fanatics.
[afflinkbutton text=”Buy Tampa Bay Bucs 2024 NFL Draft Hat” link=”https://fanatics.93n6tx.net/PyQxgN”]
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Each year, the league releases a new customized lid for each team that is given to prospects who are selected at the event. Notably, the first-round picks are handed a jersey, that year’s draft hat, and go over and give a hug to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
There are four versions for each team’s hat that come in stretch fit, snapback and fitted varieties, with prices varying on each. On Monday, every team’s version was released… except the Houston Texans and New York Jets.
Sorry Texans and Jets fans, with those clubs releasing new uniforms soon there’s still a bit of waiting to do.
We’ll bring you those updates, but for the other 30 teams, check out your favorite team’s newest headgear and be the first fan in your friend group to own a 2024 NFL Draft hat by checking them all out at Fanatics.
[afflinkbutton text=”Buy Tampa Bay Bucs 2024 NFL Draft Hat” link=”https://fanatics.93n6tx.net/PyQxgN”]
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. Touchdown Wire operates independently, though, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
The Buccaneers waived former Georgia kicker Rodrigo Blankenship to make room on the roster for another former Bulldog
Former Georgia Bulldogs star safety Richard LeCounte has signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. LeCounte’s signing comes shortly after the Los Angeles Rams waived him following preseason Week 1.
It did not take LeCounte long to find a new NFL home. He will compete with safeties Kaevon Merriweather, Nolan Turner, Kedrick Whitehead, Christian Izien and Avery Young to be a backup safety for Tampa Bay. Antoine Winfield Jr. and Ryan Neal are expected to start at safety for the Buccaneers.
LeCounte had played in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns. The Browns selected LeCounte with a fifth-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft. LeCounte played in 10 games and recorded three tackles during his time with Cleveland from 2021-2022.
The former Georgia standout was a playmaker in college. LeCounte finished his college career with 176 total tackles, eight interceptions and four forced fumbles.
LeCounte tallied four tackles in the Rams’ preseason loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The Buccaneers waived former Georgia kicker Rodrigo Blankenship to make room on the roster for LeCounte.
The official Tampa Bay Buccaneers website announced LeCounte’s signing via social media:
Los Angeles Rams assistant Thomas Brown has a pair of interviews for offensive coordinator openings
Former Georgia running back back and assistant coach Thomas Brown is scheduled to interview with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers for their open offensive coordinator positions. Brown plans to interview with Tampa Bay, for a second time, on Wednesday and with Carolina on Thursday.
Brown joins Georgia offensive coordinator Todd Monken as candidates to interview for the Bucs’ offensive coordinator job twice.
Brown is currently the tight ends coach and assistant head coach for the Los Angeles Rams. Brown helped the Rams win a Super Bowl last season. He’s gotten excellent experience under Los Angeles head coach Sean McVay.
Former Georgia running back Thomas Brown is a young, but well-respected NFL coach. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images)
Here’s what Rams Wire said about Thomas Brown’s recently scheduled interviews:
Brown also interviewed for the Cowboys’ and Chargers’ offensive coordinator roles before they went in a different direction, hiring Brian Schottenheimer and Kellen Moore, respectively. Brown met with the Commanders about their OC job, too.
The former Georgia star running back also interviewed with the Houston Texans for their head coach job, but the Texans ended up hiring former San Francisco defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans.
During Thomas Brown’s great career at Georgia, he rushed for 2,646 yards and 23 touchdowns on 529 touches. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported the news on Thomas Brown’s interviews via Twitter:
#Rams assistant head coach Thomas Brown is scheduled to fly to Tampa for a second interview Wednesday for the Bucs’ OC job and then to Carolina for a second interview Thursday for the Panthers’ OC job, per sources. A rising coach who knows Sean McVay's offense inside and out.
Who are the best transfers at each position in the history of college football?
The transfer portal has changed the landscape of college football forever. But, no matter the tweaks or adjustments made to it, there’s no going back to the way things used to be. The offseason of 2022 will always be remembered as the offseason of change. Between the portal and Name, Image and Likeness, we saw two of the most significant changes to collegiate football in decades.
Even without the transfer portal, college football has always had transfers. On3 has put together a team (11 on offense, 11 on defense) of 22 players who they believe makeup “College Football’s All-Time All-Transfer Team. I can’t say that I agree with all of their selections, but it is interesting to look back and remember that some of the sport’s greatest players had to start their careers at a school different from the one they are known for.
One Cornhusker made the All-Transfer team. Scroll below and take a look.
What does the NFL future hold for one of the all-time great Huskers?
A former Husker football legend is still unsure what his NFL future holds as we move closer and closer to the start of mandatory mini-camp. Ndamukong Suh has still not been signed by any 32 NFL teams. In the last week, reports have come out of the Tampa Bay front office that the team is not likely to resign Suh before the start of the season. A recent trip to Boston had sparked rumors that the Patriots were interested in the defensive lineman. However, that report was three weeks ago, and nothing new has come to the surface since then.
Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
The second overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft has played for four teams (Detroit, Miami, Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay) in his 12 seasons. He was the 2010 Defensive Rookie of the Year, 3x First-team All-Pro (2010, 2013, 2014), 2x Second-team All-Pro (2012, 2016), and a 5x Pro Bowl selection. Suh won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV in 2020.
(AP Photo/Amy Gutierrez)
In 2009, Suh had arguably the most remarkable season a defensive player ever had in college football. In 14 games, he had 85 tackles, 12.0 sacks, and 20.5 tackles for loss. Suh was a unanimous All-American, was the 2009 Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year, the 2009 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, and the 2009 AP Player of the Year, the first time a defensive player had ever won the award.
(AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Suh also won the Bednarik Award (best defensive player in college football), the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (best defensive player in college football), the Lombardi Award (best college football lineman of the year), and the Outland Trophy (best interior lineman in college football). His accolades culminated on December 14th, 2009, when Ndamukong Suh finished fourth for the Heisman Trophy, receiving 161 1st place votes and finishing behind Cold McCoy, Toby Gerhart, and winner Mark Ingram.
Heisman Trophy finalists from left, Stanford running back Toby Gerhart, Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, Alabama running back Mark Ingram, Texas quarterback Colt McCoy and Nebraska defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Mandatory mini-camps will take place beginning in mid-June. Let’s see if Suh is signed before or after the mini-camp period. It’s looking like Suh may be viewed as an injury replacement at this stage in his career.
The Jags’ head coaching search continues to be the biggest disappointment of Shad Khan’s tenure.
The Jacksonville Jaguars head coaching search has been nothing short of a mess, and it could be on the way to looking messier as a candidate is potentially taking his name out of the running. That candidate, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, is Tampa Bay Bucs coordinator Byron Leftwich.
Hearing Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich is expected to remove himself from consideration for the Jaguars head coaching job soon. Former Raiders interim HC Rich Bisaccia and former Eagles coach Doug Pederson remain strong candidates.
The Jags first interviewed Leftwich on Jan. 7 and interviewed him a second time on Jan. 25. His interviews seemingly went well, but both sides hit a snag because Leftwich wanted to bring in Adrian Wilson as his general manager and wasn’t a fan of working with current general manager Trent Baalke.
Baalke has been an issue during the whole process due to his poor reputation dating back to his time with the San Francisco 49ers. He’s survived three coaching changes, two of which came with the 49ers (Jim Harbaugh and Jim Tomsula) and survived the firing of Urban Meyer as well (at least for now). With that being the case, the reluctance to work with Baalke makes sense.
Leftwich and his camp have been waiting nine days since his last interview, so it appears they’ve been more than patient. That said, many fans will be heavily anticipating a statement and press conference from owner Shad Khan as the Jags camp has been completely silent on this puzzling search.
With Leftwich out, the Jags are down to Doug Pederson and Rich Bisaccia, according to Stroud. Both candidates interviewed this week, as did former Minnesota Vikings executive Rick Spielman for a job in the front office that will make him a high-ranking member of the organization.
Brad Meester witnessed Byron Leftwich lead first-hand and says he has what it takes to be the Jags next head coach.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are in Phase 2 of their head coaching search, and things might ramp up depending on how the playoffs go. The reason for that is because three coaches they’ve interviewed are participating in the postseason in Tampa Bay Bucs coordinators Byron Leftwich and Todd Bowles, as well as Green Bay Packers coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.
Of the trio, Leftwich is a heavy favorite among the fans, and many also feel he could be the favorite candidate of the organization. However, he also has some supporters outside of the organization who’s played with him when he was a player for the Jags, and former Jags center Brad Meester is among them.
In a recent discussion with the Florida Times-Union, Meester spoke highly of Leftwich’s ability to lead, which the Jags need tremendously after how things went under Urban Meyer.
“Honestly, just looking at the guys put out there as [Jaguars’ coaching] candidates, I like [Leftwich] the most for a lot of reasons,” Meester said. “When I played with him, Byron was probably the sharpest, probably one of the smartest guys I ever had in the huddle. He could read a defense. He knew the game. He was so on point with the details of what he was doing. The head coach has a lot of responsibility. He’s the motivator and the one guys rally around, and I think Byron will be great at that.”
Leftwich, who was selected by the Jags in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft, saw both highs and lows with the team, so he understands exactly what it takes to improve. He also understands better than anyone what Trevor Lawrence is going through after a rough rookie season where the team only garnered three wins (Leftwich was 5-8 as a rookie).
Meester joins former Jags teammates Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor as supporters of Leftwich, as both have also spoken highly of their former teammate. Add in the praise that he’s received from Tom Brady, who is the best quarterback in NFL history to many, and it seems like the Jags could be getting a coach who should have no issues relating to players as we’ve seen under the past regimes if he’s hired.
Twitter is really high on the whole idea of Byron Leftwich returning to Jacksonville. After another solid performance by his offense on Sunday, that’s totally understandable.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have been conducting their coaching search the past few weeks, and it appears they might be set to move on to Phase 2 of a search as eight meetings have been conducted. Of those interviews, half were with coaches who’ve been NFL head coaches in Doug Pederson, Jim Caldwell, Bill O’Brien, and Todd Bowles, which makes sense after what the Jags went through with Urban Meyer.
However, despite how things went this past season, most fans seem fine with getting one of the up-and-comers on the list, especially former Jags first-round pick Byron Leftwich. As many are aware, he is currently with the defending champions in the Tampa Bay Bucs and has done a marvelous job as their offensive coordinator, whether it was working with Jameis Winston or future Hall-of-Famer Tom Brady.
For those reasons (in addition to learning from Bruce Arians), Leftwich feels like he would be a great hire if the Jags pulled the trigger on him. And based on the reactions on Twitter, Jacksonville would be a happy place if the Khans signed off on a reunion.
Here are just some of several tweets from Twitter where fans and media members have discussed the potential of Leftwich becoming the Jags’ next head coach:
Think Jags should hire Byron Leftwich as next head coach Can't waste Trevor Lawrence next year. Draft Evan Neal first up get Travis Etienne back pick up receivers in later round and free agency
If I were the #Jaguars Byron Leftwich would be the easiest decision as the team’s next head coach. History, respect around the league, good coach, young and a mind to mesh well with Trevor Lawrence.
It’s taken me a while to get on board… but I am all in w/ Bryon Leftwich becoming the next HC of The @Jaguars. He’s young, offensive oriented, would be a great developer and leader for Trevor Lawrence and I think could really get some Talent here in Jax via Free Agency/NFL Draft
"So, yeah, when we win, I'll have a second-round interview with the Jags but they won't be able to announce even if I get the job" pic.twitter.com/jz93esh03j
