After a surprising report surfaced that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were signing veteran running back Samaje Perine to a deal in free agency, Bucs general manager Jason Licht took to X to shut down the false rumors.
Jason Licht Shuts Down Reported Samaje Perine-Tampa Bay Deal
Amid an avalanche of free agency news, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reported that Perine had agreed to a three-year deal worth $22 million with the Buccaneers. This was reposted by NFL aggregation account Dov Kleiman in a since-deleted post, at which point Licht felt the need to chime in.
Licht fired up his own social media and responded in four simple words: “No we did not.”
Perine to Tampa Bay made no sense in the first place, considering the team already boasts one of the best running back groups in the NFL. Bucky Irving and Rachaad White were one of the only two running back tandems in the NFL to eclipse 1,000 scrimmage yards each in 2024.
Former Syracuse standout Sean Tucker has also flashed for Tampa Bay, including a game against New Orleans when he gained 192 yards of total offense and two touchdowns.
The Buccaneers have plenty of holes to fill this offseason, but a backup running back is clearly not one of them. The reported money attached to the deal made the report even more puzzling, as Perine was rumored to receive a hefty payday in Tampa Bay.
Luckily, with Licht’s quick debunking, the false report has been deleted and Bucs fans can turn their attention back to the moves the front office has actually made. And ultimately, Perine made his way back to Cincinnati for a second stint with the Bengals.
Buccaneers’ Free Agency Tracker
So far, the Buccaneers have made just three official moves, re-signing two key offensive starters and investing in a much-needed pass rusher.
Buccaneers Re-Sign WR Chris Godwin
The Bucs opened up their free agency period with a splash. First, they signed Chris Godwin to a three-year, $66 million extension to keep him in Tampa, Fla. Godwin had a lot of suitors on the open market, and per Ian Rapoport, he even gave the Bucs a steep discount to stick with the team.
Buccaneers Re-Sign LG Ben Bredeson
The Bucs signed Ben Bredeson to a three-year, $22 million extension after a solid season as the starting left guard. Bredeson initially signed last offseason via one of Licht’s signature one-year prove it deals, and he has now parlayed it into a solid payday with the Bucs.
By extending Godwin and Bredeson, the Buccaneers have retained their entire starting offense, a unit that ranked No. 3 in 2024 per PFSN’s Offense+ metric.
Buccaneers Take a Flier on Haason Reddick
Haason Reddick had a disappointing 2024 with the season being wasted due to a contract dispute with the New York Jets. Reddick expected a significant extension upon being traded to New York from the Philadelphia Eagles, but the New York Jets didn’t budge, and neither did Reddick.
He ended up holding out for the entire preseason and half of the regular season, finishing his Jets career with only one sack.
Before 2024, however, Reddick was one of the most consistent edge rushers in the league — he had four consecutive seasons with double-digit sacks in Philadelphia. The Bucs signed Reddick for only one year and $14 million, a deal that could look like an absolute steal if Reddick returns to his Philadelphia form.
Expect Licht and his front office to remain active as they look to put the finishing touches on a championship-caliber roster in Tampa Bay.