According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Bucs have re-signed backup QB Blaine Gabbert to a one-year, $2.5 million contract. The move brings the Bucs roster total to four quarterbacks as they seek to supply a top tier group of backups behind Tom Brady.

Gabbert’s return has been expected, as head coach Bruce Arians and GM Jason Licht remained adamant that Gabbert was still in the team’s plans despite drafting Florida QB Kyle Trask in the second round last weekend. The Bucs also re-signed third-string quarterback Ryan Griffin in mid-April, but never wavered on trying to bring back Gabbert as well.

“I really hope that we can get Blaine done soon and go in and have normal competition,” Arians told media during the draft. “Blaine has proven what he can do for us. So, yeah. Hopefully we can get that done soon.”

Licht has been perhaps the most outspoken advocate of Gabbert among the Bucs’ brass, praising the 31-year old quarterback during his appearance on the Pewter Report Podcast in February.

“First of all, I love his energy,” Licht said about Gabbert on the Pewter Report Podcast. “I’ve really gotten close to Blaine this year just being on the sidelines. He’s a really smart guy but he is one guy, my scouts and I talk about this a lot, he’s just one guy that I love to watch throw every day in practice because he has got a cannon. He’s very accurate with his throws as well and he can just really whistle them in in tight windows. If he had been forced to play – he played in the Detroit game – but if he had been forced to play more I think that he would have really opened a lot of people’s eyes about how talented he is, especially being in the same system for a couple of years.”

Gabbert appeared in four games last season, completing nine of 16 passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns. He’ll likely compete with Trask for the No. 2 job, while Griffin’s path to the final roster just became increasingly more difficult.