Contract details for S Ryan Neal emerge
Bucs did well to get safety Ryan Neal from Seattle, and they did so with great value — it’s a veteran salary benefit deal, with minimum salary, plus $152,000 bonus and $108k guaranteed. Chose Tampa for opportunity to play a key role.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) April 6, 2023
Tampa Bay Buccaneers GM Jason Licht continues to land his talent for cheap in free agency.
FOX Sports’ Greg Auman reported on Thursday that new Bucs S Ryan Neal’s new deal with the Bucs is for veteran salary benefit. A veteran salary benefit contract is a veteran minimum deal for time played plus a small signing bonus — in this case, he’ll get an extra $152,000 as a signing bonus and $108,000 guaranteed.
Neal was named to PFF’s All-Pro team in 2022, so to say the Bucs got a bargain could be selling it short. Neal will fit in nicely next to S Antoine Winfield, who is slated to play free safety this year, as Neal is a strong safety who displayed excellent tackling skills in 2022.
Neal was initially tendered as a restricted free agent by the Seattle Seahawks, with an offer of $2.627 million. Seattle revoked that tender, however, which made Neal an unrestricted free agent — he signs in Tampa Bay for less than he would have made in Seattle, but perhaps his status as a starting player will be more certain with the Bucs.
