The Tampa Bay Buccaneers started free agency by nabbing a player off the New York Jets' secondary, and now they've added a second player from that crew.
Two days after bringing safety Jordan Whitehead back home from New York, the Buccaneers agreed to terms with one of his former teammates, fifth-year cornerback Bryce Hall, on a one-year deal on Friday. Hall played his first four seasons with the Jets after being drafted in the fifth round in 2020 out of Virginia.
Hall (6-1, 202) appeared in 39 games with 26 starts during his tenure with the Jets. Last season, he saw action in nine games, starting two, and recorded an interception and five passes defensed. He also recovered a fumble and returned it 39 yards for a touchdown in the final minute of a 31-21 win over the Denver Broncos in Week Five.
Hall spent the first half of his rookie season on the reserve/non-football injury list but did start seven of the eight games in which he played, recording 36 tackles, an interception and six passes defensed. He drew his most extensive work in 2021, when he started all 17 games at left cornerback for the Jets. He set career highs with 79 tackles and 16 passes defensed, tying for sixth in the NFL in the latter category, and also contributed a half-sack, four tackles for loss and two quarterback hits.
The Bucs had need for cornerback depth after trading six-year starter Carlton Davis to the Detroit Lions on Wednesday. Hall could compete with third-year man Zyon McCollum for the starting spot opposite Jamel Dean, and he also has experience working in the slot.
Hall is the third player from another team the Buccaneers have signed since the start of free agency, coincidentally all from the two teams that play in the Meadowlands. In addition to getting Whitehead and Hall from the Jets, the Bucs also dipped into the Giants' roster to sign versatile offensive lineman Ben Bredeson on Friday.
