Bucs Sign 4 More Players To Futures Deals

After previously signing 14 players to futures contracts, the Bucs have added four more to their roster as well. The organization announced on Tuesday that defensive tackles Eric Banks and Lwal Uguak, long snapper Evan Deckers, and inside linebacker Vi Jones.

New Bucs In Town

The two newest players are the defensive tackles in Banks and Uguak. Banks began his career as an undrafted free agent with the Rams in 2020, making their initially 53-man roster but getting cut in October and moving to their practice squad. The next season he was claimed off of waivers but didn’t have to go far as the Chargers picked him up.

He later went to the Lions and then spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons with the Cardinals on the practice squad, but did get called up for a game this January. Banks, who signed with the Bucs today on his birthday, has played in six career games with 8 tackles.

Uguak went undrafted after playing four years at Connecticut and one final season at TCU. To prolong his football career he went to the Canadian Football league to play for the Montreal Alouettes where he was drafted seventh overall in their 2023 CFL Draft. Uguak recorded 16 tackles, three sacks, a forced fumble and pass breakups.

The Bucs don’t have their defensive line set in stone for the 2024 season. Vita Vea and Logan Hall will play important roles, but Greg Gaines, Pat O’Connor, and long time Buc Will Gholston are all free agents. Mike Greene, who Bucs head coach Todd Bowles previously said is one of their most improved players is still under contract and Deadrin Senat signed a futures deal as well.

Familiar Bucs Return

Bucs LS Zach Triner – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The other two Bucs are familiar with Tampa Bay’s organization. Deckers was signed to the team in the middle of December after their long snapper Zach Triner was on the injury report that week with an elbow injury.

Triner ended up playing in that Week 15 game against the Packers and Deckers was waived shortly after. Triner is a free agent, this offseason, so if Tampa Bay wants to go in another direction, Decker may have a chance.

Jones constantly fluctuated from being on the practice squad to getting released over the last three months of the season. He initially signed in November, was let go in December, resigned on December 19 and then released on January 10 before the Bucs’ first playoff game. Presumably Jones will get an opportunity to prove himself enough to be a mainstay in Tampa Bay.

The linebacker room may look a bit different this time around. Lavonte David and Devin White are free agents, leaving K.J. Britt, SirVocea Dennis and J.J. Russell left to fill out the roster.