Rakeem Nunez-Roches signs with Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Former Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Rakeem Nunez-Roches has found a new home with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Kansas City Chiefs surprised a few fans and analysts when they allowed defensive lineman Rakeem Nunez-Roches to walk in May. After a short stint throughout the preseason with the Indianapolis Colts during the preseason, RNR was once again let go and had yet to sign with a team for the 2018 season.

Now the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are giving him a new chance for meaningful work with the announcement straight from Nunez-Roches that he’s signed with the NFC South team.

Nunez-Roches was a surprise release primarily because he’d earned more and more playing time for the Chiefs in his three years with the team. He was brought on as a developmental lineman and made good on the coaches’ belief in him. He played in only 7 games his rookie season and put up 4 tackles to show for it.

However, last year, Nunez-Roches started 11 games for the Chiefs and was clearly still coming into his own. Even with the acquisition of Xavier Williams and the draft pick of Derrick Nnadi, it was a bit of a surprise the Chiefs would go with a vet like Jarvis Jenkins or developmental talent like Justin Hamilton over leaning into another season with Nunez-Roches.

Nunez-Roches will reportedly replace another former Chiefs lineman, Jerel Worthy, on the Buccaneers roster. Nacho will join a line that should be loaded with Gerald McCoy, Jason Pierre-Paul Vinny Curry, Vita Vea, Noah Spence and more.

Nunez-Roches, who is still only 25-years-old, had 24 tackles and a half sack for the Chiefs last year.