The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are finding safety in numbers.
A day after re-signing second-year safety Kaevon Merriweather amid a rash of injuries at the position, the Buccaneers also brought back Ryan Neal on Wednesday. Neal, who played in 15 games with 13 starts for Tampa Bay last season, was signed to the practice squad. No corresponding move was necessary as there was an open spot on that unit after the promotion of linebacker Vi Jones last week.
Neal signed with the Buccaneers in April of 2023 after four seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. He originally entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Southern Illinois with Philadelphia in 2018 and later ended up in Atlanta's training camp that summer. After spending most of his rookie season on the Falcons' practice squad, he signed with Seattle in 2019 and went on to play 46 games with 19 starts for the Seahawks.
Neal's best season came in 2022 with the Seahawks, when he started 10 games and compiled 66 tackles, one interception, eight passes defensed, a forced fumble, three tackles for loss and three quarterback hits, earning 14 votes for the Associated Press All-Pro team. Overall, in 62 career games he has recorded 236 tackles, three interceptions, 16 passes defensed, 2.0 sacks and 14 tackles for loss.
The Buccaneers recently placed starting safety Jordan Whitehead on injured reserve due to a pectoral injury and are also dealing with injuries to safeties Mike Edwards and Tykee Smith.
