As the Tampa Bay Buccaneers mount a pursuit of a certain 42-year-old under center, they are shoring up their front on the opposite side of the ball.
Tampa Bay re-signed defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul to a two-year, $27 million deal, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday, per a source informed of the details. ESPN first reported the news. The team announced the deal later Monday.
JPP carried a cap hit of just $7.8 million in 2019, thanks to a contract restructure. He should make far more than that in 2020 under his new deal.
Pierre-Paul is the second Bucs edge rusher to re-join the team in the last 24 hours. Tampa Bay slapped the franchise tag on Shaquil Barrett, the team's sack leader in 2019 (19), earlier Monday morning.
The Bucs might not have been the All-Pro edge rusher's only suitor. NFL Network's Mike Silver reported the Baltimore Ravens also made a run at JPP.
One of the top 20 available free agents, according to NFL.com, Pierre-Paul logged 8.5 sacks in 10 games played last season. Since joining the Bucs via trade less than two years ago, JPP has picked up 36 QB hits and 21 sacks in 26 games played.
Tampa Bay appears to be going all in on big names on both sides of the ball. No risk it, no biscuit, as one Bruce Arians would say.
