Post 2010 Draft Fallout

All NFL teams are limited to an 80-man roster for offseason activities.  The Buccaneers have drafted, released, and signed players in the last five days to get to that limit.

First, between April 22nd and April 24th, 2010, Tampa Bay drafted nine new players:
Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma
Brian Price, DT, UCLA
Arrelious Benn, WR, Illinois
Myron Lewis, CB, Vanderbilt
Mike Williams, WR, Syracuse
Brent Bowden, P, Virginia Tech
Cody Grimm, S, Virginia Tech
Dekota Watson, LB, Florida State
Erik Lorig, DE, Stanford 

Second, on April 26th, the Buccaneers released six player:
Chris Hovan, DT
B.J. Askew, FB
Shawn Murphy, G
Sam Paulescu, P
Arron Sears, G
Stoney Woodson, CB

Not really many surprises here.  Chris Hovan was noted to be nearing retirement some time ago.  Askew has had a excellent career.  Arron Sears recently developed some personal issues and did not play last year -- I hope he can solve his issues and have a long, happy rest of his life.  Paulescu was a stop-gap after a rash of injuries, and Murphy and Woodson never made it to the stat books.

Third, the Buccaneers added twelve undrafted free agents over the past couple days:
DE Brandon Gilbeaux 6-3 270 Delaware
DE James Ruffin 6-4 263 Northern Iowa
G Sergio Render 6-3 311 Virginia Tech
G Vladimir Richard 6-4 300 Tennessee
K Hunter Lawrence 6-0 187 Texas
LB Rico McCoy 6-1 220 Tennessee
QB Jevan Snead 6-3 219 Mississippi
S Dennis Rogan 5-9 185 Tennessee
T Derek Hardman 6-6 300 Eastern Kentucky
T James Williams 6-5 295 Harvard
TE Jeron Mastrud 6-5 256 Kansas State
WR Preston Parker 5-11 199 North Alabama

We will take a deeper look at what these men mean to the roster over the next few days.

This brings the Buccaneer roster to an even 80 men, ready for Rookie Camp this coming weekend (April 30th - May 2nd).

But that is not the end of the story.  Five men from the 2009 roster are now exclusive rights free agents.  They are:
S Jermaine Phillips
T Donald Penn
T Jeremy Trueblood
RB Carnell Williams

These men have only two choices remaining:  sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or not play in 2010.  Let the chess games begin here.  As each of these men sign a roster position will have to be opened by cutting someone from the current 80-man roster.

Of the offseason 80-man roster, 53 men will make the active roster and 8 will make it to the practice squad.  That leaves 19 looming cuts (plus five more when the exclusive rights free agents sign).  The 19 cuts will made during the preseason, which means these men have the summer and early fall to impress the coaches and their teammates.  Tryouts start this weekend -- good luck, men!