The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed former Denver strong safety Darian Stewart on Tuesday to aid the team’s secondary, which has been depleted by injuries during training camp. The 5-foot-11, 214-pound Stewart, 31, was signed as an undrafted free agent by St. Louis in 2010 out of South Carolina, and played for the Rams for four seasons before a one-year stint in Baltimore.
Stewart then signed with Denver where he spent four seasons, making the Pro Bowl in 2016 and being a part of the Broncos’ Super Bowl 50 championship team. Stewart has racked up 454 tackles, 45 pass breakups, 11 interceptions, six forced fumbles, five sacks and scored one defensive touchdown in his nine years in the league.
Tampa Bay had also worked out veteran Marcus Gilchrist on Monday, but opted for Stewart due to the need for more strong safeties as the team has plenty of healthy free safeties.
The Bucs have already lost two strong safeties to season-ending injuries in Orion Stewart (ACL) and rookie D’Cota Dixon (shoulder), and rookie Mike Edwards, the team’s third-round pick this year, is suffering from a pulled hamstring and won’t play in Friday’s preseason game against Miami. Reserve safety Kentrell Brice is also playing through an ankle injury he suffered last Friday night in the preseason opener at Pittsburgh.