With the free company interval solely days away, the Bucs have made their first inside re-signing, agreeing to a brand new one-year take care of security Kaevon Merriweather, who was an exclusive-rights free agent. Fox Sports activities’ Greg Auman was first to report the information Friday morning.
Bucs are re-signing security Kaevon Merriweather, an exclusive-rights free agent, to a one-year deal. Has 38 tackles in two years after making the Bucs as an undrafted rookie out of Iowa.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) March 7, 2025
It’s an inexpensive deal for Merriweather, who has supplied stable security depth for the Bucs over the past two seasons. As an exclusive-rights free agent, his deal is for the league minimal relative to his expertise, which is $1.03 million within the case of the 25-year-old.
Kaevon Merriweather Performed A Key Position For The Bucs Late In 2024
Bucs S Kaevon Merriweather – Photograph by: USA Right this moment
The 6-foot, 212-pound security initially signed with Tampa Bay as an undrafted free agent out of Iowa in 2023. As a rookie, he performed 164 snaps, ending with a 55.4 grade from Professional Soccer Focus.
His run protection and tackling grades had been within the 30s, however he turned in higher marks in cross rush (65.1) and protection (67.1). Of his 164 snaps as a rookie, he performed 91 at free security, with the next-most (48) coming within the field.
Merriweather ended up enjoying a key depth function for the Bucs late within the 2024 season. He was truly waived by the workforce in November and briefly signed with the Lions’ observe squad earlier than returning to Tampa Bay in December.
He was wanted down the stretch attributable to accidents on the security place, and he performed a few of his finest soccer when known as upon. The previous Iowa Hawkeye largely graded out average-to-above-average from Week 14 on. Right here’s how issues appeared for him, based on PFF:
Week 14: 55 snaps, 62.5 total grade, 67.4 run protection, 84.6 tackling, 77.4 cross rush, 55.6 coverageWeek 15: 52 snaps, 66.7 total grade, 62.0 run protection, 77.2 tackling, 57.1 cross rush, 64.9 coverageWeek 16: 31 snaps, 64.2 total grade, 64.6 run protection, 29.2 tackling, 70.4 cross rush, 57.1 protection Week 17: 11 snaps, 66.0 total grade, 60.0 run protection, 77.2 tackling, N/A cross rush, 64.2 coverageWeek 18: 66 snaps, 68.9 total grade, 47.9 run protection, 47.3 tackling, 65.9 cross rush, 70.2 protection
Merriweather solely performed 14 snaps within the Wild Card loss to the Commanders, although he graded out effectively with a 67.4 total mark, together with a 75.2 tackling grade.
Over 274 snaps on the season, he posted a 66.5 total grade, with a 62.2 run protection grade, a 66.5 tackling mark, an 82.1 cross rush grade, and a protection grade of 62.9. He reduce his missed sort out fee in half from his rookie yr and completed the marketing campaign with 17 tackles (11 solo), one sack, a fumble restoration and a cross defensed in 14 video games (5 begins).
Kaevon Merriweather’s 2025 Position With The Bucs Stays TBD
Bucs S Kaevon Merriweather – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
That is the second transfer the Bucs have made concerning the protection place this offseason, with the primary coming within the type of reducing ties with Jordan Whitehead only one yr after he returned to the workforce. On the 2025 NFL Scouting Mix, head coach and defensive play-caller Todd Bowles stated they’ve mentioned the potential of transferring Tykee Smith to security this season after he performed the vast majority of his rookie marketing campaign at nickel cornerback.
If Tampa Bay does make that transfer, it arrange Smith and Antoine Winfield Jr. to be the workforce’s beginning safeties, and Kaevon Merriweather would stay a key depth piece on the place. Nevertheless, given a budget price ticket on the third-year security, re-signing him for a yr doesn’t preclude the Bucs from including one other security to bolster the room this offseason.
With that being stated, Bowles was happy with the way in which Merriweather performed down the stretch in 2024 and is clearly a fan of him, so it’s probably that the 25-year-old stays part of the room in some kind or trend this season.
