Tampa Bay BuccaneersKeep informed with our daily updates: News, notes and more throughout the month of March Dee Delaney

#30 DB

Height: 5-11Weight: 200 lbsCollege: Miami

March 15 Updates

On Wednesday, CB Dee Delaney received a qualifying offer from the Buccaneers, making him an exclusive rights free agent as the new league year begins. An exclusive rights free agent (ERFA) is a player with an expiring contract but fewer than two accrued seasons of free agency credit. As an ERFA, Delaney cannot negotiate with other teams, and signing his qualifying offer converts it into a one-year contract for the 2023 season.

A versatile defender who has seen action at cornerback and safety for the Buccaneers over the past two seasons, Delaney played in all 18 games, playoffs included, in 2022, with one start at safety. He recorded 25 tackles and two tackles for loss. He had five stops and a tackle for loss in his lone start at safety against Pittsburgh in Week Six.

Delaney also played two-thirds of the Buccaneers snaps on special teams and contributed four kick-coverage tackles. The Buccaneers now have two exclusive rights free agents after also extending a qualifying offer to guard Nick Leverett last week.

CLICK HERE for a list of the Buccaneers who could become free agents on Wednesday.

Nick Leverett

#60 G

Height: 6-4Weight: 310 lbsCollege: Rice

March 10 Updates

The Buccaneers have extended the tender offer to Nick Leverett necessary to make him an exclusive rights free agent at the start of free agency next week. An exclusive rights free agent (ERFA) is a player with an expiring contract but fewer than two accrued seasons of free agency credit. As an ERFA, Leverett cannot negotiate with other teams, in contrast to restricted free agents (RFA), who have three seasons of accrued credit.

Leverett, who originally joined the Buccaneers as an undrafted rookie out of Rice in 2020, emerged as a starter on the Buccaneers' offensive line last season. He took over for injured rookie Luke Goedeke at left guard in Week Eight and started the final 10 contests, though he missed the Bucs' lone playoff contest due to knee and shoulder injuries.

Leverett spent all of his rookie season on Tampa Bay's practice squad in 2020, then made the active roster in 2021 and appeared in three games, including one in the postseason.

The Buccaneers have two players who could qualify as ERFAs if they receive the necessary tender offer; the other is cornerback Dee Delaney.

CLICK HERE for a list of the Buccaneers who could become free agents next Wednesday.

March 6 Updates

Buccaneers Legend Ronde Barber has decided who will present him at the Pro Football Hall of Fame when he is inducted with the Class of 2023 this summer, and it was the natural choice. Barber's Presenter at the enshrinement ceremony on August 5 in Canton, Ohio will be his twin brother, former New York Giants running back Tiki Barber.

The Hall of Fame announced Barber's choice on Monday afternoon and Barber confirmed it minutes later in a tweet that read, "If you know me, you know there was no choice but @TikiBarber."

At the ceremony, Tiki will introduce his brother in a video segment before Ronde gives his speech to the crowd. After the speech has concluded, the two brothers will join each other in revealing Barber's new bronze bust by pulling off the cover.

The two Barber brothers played together at Virginia and they were both selected in the 1997 NFL Draft, Tiki by the Giants in Round Two and Ronde by the Buccaneers in Round Three. Tiki played 10 years in the NFL, all with the Giants, and earned three Pro Bowl invitations and one first-team AP All-Pro selection. He is New York's all-time leading rusher, finishing with 10,449 career yards and 55 touchdowns. He also caught 586 passes for another 5,183 yards and 12 scores and 1,181 yards on punt returns and 544 on kickoff returns. Tiki joins Hall of Famers Marcus Allen and Marshall Faulk as the only players in league history to run for 10,000-plus yards and catch passes for 5,000-plus yards, and he's the only one ever to do that and add at least 1,000 return yards.

Ronde believes Tiki is deserving of joining him in the Hall and plans to make that point in no uncertain terms.

"I've got a platform now to start talking about his candidacy more," said Ronde. "Running backs are getting the short end of the stick and I'm not sure why. I'll be glad to share my opinions about Tiki Barber, the New York Football Giants' all-time leading rusher. It's one of the storied franchises in the history of this game, of professional football, and he doesn't get much attention for his accomplishments."

CLICK HERE to hear Ronde discuss his selection for the Hall of Fame on the Salty Dogs podcast.

Antoine Winfield Jr.

#31 S

Height: 5-9Weight: 203 lbsCollege: Minnesota

March 3 Updates

Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. followed up his first Pro Bowl appearance after the 2021 season with another strong campaign in 2022. Winfield racked up 80 tackles to go with seven tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, six QB hits, one interception, three passes defensed and one forced fumble.

Winfield did this while playing a new hybrid role in this third NFL season. While he continued to start at safety in the Bucs' base defensive scheme, he would generally move into the slot when the team went to a nickel or dime package. The Bucs felt he had the coverage skills to match slot receivers, and moving him closer to the line of scrimmage allowed Head Coach Todd Bowles to take advantage of the young defender's blitzing talent and strong tackling. However, Bowles envisions simplifying Winfield's role in 2023 in order to allow him to more fully master one particular job.

"Since he was so young, he gets better mentally every year," said Bowles. "His tackling is outstanding, his intensity is outstanding, what he does for the team is outstanding. I think he's one of our top three defensive players. He can only get better with experience, you know? I don't want to move him around as much this coming season than I have this year - I'll try to leave him at one spot as best as I can. I think he'll master that spot and get even better for us."

CLICK HERE to listen to more of Coach Bowles thoughts from the NFL Scouting Combine this week.

Rachaad White

#1 RB

Height: 6-0Weight: 214 lbsCollege: Arizona State

Running back Rachaad White had a promising rookie season for the Buccaneers in 2022, but he plans on getting a fresh start in 2023, at least sartorially.

On Friday, White revealed on Twitter that he plans to switch to jersey no. 1 after playing his debut season in no. 29. White simply tweeted "Da 1," along with a workout video and a stylized image with him wearing Buccaneers jerseys with his new number. A team source confirmed that White has applied for the jersey switch.

A third-round draft pick out of Arizona State last April, White played in all 17 games of his rookie season, taking over as the starter in the Bucs' backfield around midseason. He finished second on the team to Leonard Fournette with 481 rushing yards and also added 50 catches for 290 yards and three total touchdowns. White also returned 11 kickoffs for 244 yards and made five tackles on special teams.