The Tampa Bay Buccaneers added some competition to their defensive line group on Wednesday.
The Buccaneers signed two young defensive ends who previously entered the NFL as undrafted free agents: Georgia's Sterling Bailey and Clemson's Tavaris Barnes. To make room on the 90-man offseason roster, the team released defensive end Deondre Barnett and linebacker Paul Magloire, a pair of rookies signed after this year's draft.
Barnes originally signed with the New Orleans Saints after the 2015 draft, while Bailey landed with Indianapolis a year later. Both the 6-4, 282-pound Barnes and the 6-4, 285-pound Bailey have the size and strength to potentially help Tampa Bay on its interior line. The Buccaneers have made an effort to become more stout against the run in 2017, adding such middle-of-the-defense players as Chris Baker, Stevie Tu'ikolovatu and Kendell Beckwith.
Bailey started 19 of the 42 games he played at Georgia, compiling 108 tackles, 2.5 sacks and seven passes defensed. As a team captain in 2015 he recorded 46 tackles and 2.0 sacks. After signing with the Colts last year, he spent the first half of the season on the practice squads in Indianapolis and Seattle before finishing the campaign on the practice squad in Minnesota. Bailey re-signed with the Vikings after the 2016 season but was released in early May.
Barnes has regular-season NFL experience, having played 12 games for the Saints as a rookie in 2015. The following spring, he was released by New Orleans and quickly signed by the Seahawks. He spent his second year on the injured reserve list in Seattle and became a free agent in March. In 47 games over four seasons at Clemson, Barnes contributed 60 tackles, five sacks and 9.5 tackles for a loss.
