With the NFL’s free agency window opening on Monday, a wave of moves flooded social media from all around the league. The Bucs have yet to make a move and will likely wait things out in search of value, but one player can now be ruled out from making a return to Tampa.

Veteran defensive lineman Rakeem Nunez-Roches, who has served as a valuable depth piece for the Bucs over the years, posted a goodbye to Tampa on Instagram Monday afternoon. It didn’t take much reading between the lines to gather that the Bucs weren’t planning to keep him around as they enter a new era. Not long after, Nunez-Roches agreed to terms on a deal with the New York Giants, per Tom Pelissero.

“Thank you Tampa Bay for everything and everyone that supported my family and I while we’ve been in Tampa!” Nunez-Roches wrote. “It’s been real, 4eva love, signing out.”

Reflecting On Nacho’s Career With Bucs

Bucs DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Nunez-Roches – or “Nacho” – became a fixture on Tampa Bay’s defensive line after signing with the team in 2018, serving as depth behind Pro Bowl nose tackle Vita Vea. A sixth-round pick by the Chiefs in 2016, he signed with the Bucs in October of 2018. He played in just three games that year before signing a one-year deal with the team and figuring more heavily into the rotation in 2019, playing all 16 games.

After posting nine tackles (five solo), a tackle for loss and a fumble recovery in 2019, Nunez-Roches was signed to another one-year deal in 2020. He once again played in all 16 games, starting 11 of them due to an injury to Vea. In the Bucs’ Super Bowl season, he finished with 20 tackles (seven solo) and three quarterback hits.

Then, with Tampa Bay looking to keep as much of its Lombardi Trophy-winning squad together as possible in 2021, Nunez-Roches signed another one-year contract with the team. In 16 games (one start), he totaled 17 tackles (five solo), three tackles for loss and a forced fumble.

Bucs DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Happy with a key part of their defensive line rotation, the Bucs again signed the 6-foot-2, 307-pounder to – yes – another one-year contract. He paid that decision off with a career year in 2022, finishing with career-highs in tackles (33) and solo tackles (19). He tied his career high with five tackles for loss and set another high with two sacks – his first sacks as a member of the Bucs.

Nunez-Roches was always someone the Bucs looked to for energy, as he played with a ton of it both on the practice field and on gamedays. Now, though, the team will have to look elsewhere for that juice as they retool their defensive line this offseason. Will Gholston, Pat O’Connor and Akiem Hicks are also free agents, with Vea and 2022 second-round pick Logan Hall needing some help heading into 2023.