Cornerback Brent Grimes is entering a new phase of his career, signing a two-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers worth $16.5 million, per Rand Getlin of NFL.com. The 32-year-old played the last three seasons with the Miami Dolphins.
Brent Grimes signs 2-year, $16.5 million deal with Buccaneers
The 32-year-old found a new home after three seasons in Miami.
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The Dolphins released Grimes on Wednesday, shortly after acquiring Byron Maxwell from the Philadelphia Eagles. The move saved Miami $6.5 million in cap space, while creating $3 million in dead money.
Grimes spent the first six seasons of his career with the Atlanta Falcons before joining Miami in 2013. He signed a low-risk one-year deal, coming off a torn Achilles injury. Grimes recovered from the injury and quickly re-established himself as one of the top cover corners in the league, reaching the Pro Bowl. After the season, Grimes signed a four-year deal worth $32 million to stay with the Dolphins.
Grimes continued to play at a high level, being named to the Pro Bowl in both 2014 and 2015. However, his salary eventually became untenable for the Dolphins’ cap situation, and his wife became the source of some unwanted off-field distractions.
The Buccaneers can use the secondary help after allowing 31 touchdown passes in 2015, the fifth-highest total in the NFL. Both Alterraun Verner and Johnthan Banks were benched at times during the season, so Grimes will look to solidify the group and should have a strong chance at earning a starting role.
In Tampa Bay, Grimes is reunited with Mike Smith, the former Falcons head coach who now serves as defensive coordinator of the Buccaneers. Smith was the coach in Atlanta when Grimes first cracked the starting lineup in 2008.
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