Heading into the current offseason, defensive end Jacquies Smith was an incumbent starter and a pending exclusive rights free agent (ERFA), which is an uncommon combination but one that made it a virtual certainty he would remain with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2016.
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Smith will indeed be back in Tampa to start a new offseason, as will two fellow ERFAs, long-snapper Andrew DePaola and linebacker Jeremiah George. All three have received tender offers from the Buccaneers. In addition, two restricted free agents (RFAs), safety Bradley McDougald and wide receiver Russell Shepard, are also likely to return as they have also received qualifying offers from the Buccaneers.