The Bucs have added a familiar piece to the defensive line by re-signing defensive tackle Deadrin Senat, the team announced on Tuesday. Senat, the former USF player, is back in Tampa for a second season in a row.

After spending his first four seasons with the Atlanta Falcons as their third-round draft pick in 2018, Senat signed with the Bucs in April 0f 2022. He initially was waived and placed on the practice squad but ended up getting significant playing time when he was called up on September 21 and stayed on the roster the rest of the season.

Per Greg Auman of Fox Sports, the salary for Senat is the league minimum at $1.08 base salary with a $152,500 signing bonus. Tampa Bay had to find value this offseason with a tight salary cap, so bringing back Senat is what they’re looking for.

Senat Had Moments With The Bucs

Bucs DL Deadrin Senat – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Senat played in 12 games for the Bucs last season, recording 17 tackles, two tackles for loss, two quarterback hits and one sack. He got himself into the defensive tackle rotation as a role player, playing in 165 defensive snaps. Senat would average around 21% snaps per game, though it varied throughout.

He burst onto the scene early with good performances in Week 3 facing the Packers,Week 4 against the Chiefs and Week 5 against the Falcons. That game against his old team was probably his best as he recorded five tackles and sack. The most amount of playing he received came in Week 8 against the Ravens with 22 snaps and then in the seasons finale for Week 18 at the Falcons where he got 28 snaps.

Bucs DT Room

Bucs DT Logan Hall – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Adding Senat into the mix puts him along with Vita Vea, Logan Hall, Pat O’Connor, and new free agent signing Greg Gaines. We all know Vea is the top guy on the line and Gaines plans to fit in as either a nose tackle backup to Vea or lining up next to him. The expectations is that Hall will continue to develop and upgrade as a player in his second year as a key figure on defense, while O’Connor and Senat fit in as rotational pieces.

There is still hope that veteran Will Gholston can re-sign with the team to add anther inexpensive veteran re-signing to the room. Todd Bowles also left the door open for Gholston and Akiem Hicks as well. There is the chance as well that the Bucs add further depth at the position through the draft.