Rakeem Nuñez-Roches Seems To Say Goodbye
March 13th, 2023
Farewell message?
UPDATED 5:22 p.m. – It seems the Bucs are not interested in re-signing reserve defensive tackle Rakeem Nuñez-Roches. Better known among Bucs fans as “Nacho.”
A popular locker room guy, Nacho took to Instagram this afternoon and seemed to wave goodbye to the Tampa Bay area and to Bucs fans suggesting his Tampa days are done.
“Thank you Tampa Bay for everything and everyone that supported my family and I while we’ve been in Tampa! It’s been real, 4eva love, singing [sic] out. -Nacho-“
(Update: Nacho will play for the New York Giants.)
Nacho’s biggest claim to fame for the Bucs came in the Super Bowl winning season in 2020. Vita Vea broke his foot and missed the next 13 games including playoff wins over the WTF and slimy Saints. Nacho filled in for Vea and kicked tail.
You need key play from backups to win a championship and Nacho provided that.
Nacho’s apparent departure is what happens when a team is pinched by the salary cap.
March 13th, 2023 at 4:57 pm
Giants got him!
March 13th, 2023 at 5:00 pm
Yep, to the Giants
March 13th, 2023 at 5:00 pm
The bleeding begins.
March 13th, 2023 at 5:01 pm
We’re gonna lose a lot more.
Good luck Nacho.
March 13th, 2023 at 5:03 pm
Bucs to sign dean according to NFL network. Thats a surprise
March 13th, 2023 at 5:03 pm
Bucs are resigning Dean!
March 13th, 2023 at 5:03 pm
NFL Network is reporting that Dean is re-signing with the Bucs,
March 13th, 2023 at 5:03 pm
Damn that sucks. Best of luck with your new team. You’ll be missed.
March 13th, 2023 at 5:04 pm
Man, I’m going to miss me some Nacho. Love that guy, high energy & passion and a key cog during the SB run. Was critical with Vea & Hicks always banged up too.
Mr. Logan Hall, time for you to step up and produce cause we need it. And if that means get stronger, you better be going full Rocky/Creed montage all offseason to become a beast. Somebody’s got to on the D line…
March 13th, 2023 at 5:04 pm
Bucs just re-signed Dean. How good is Jason Licht? Let’s stop all the ‘hot seat’ talk.
March 13th, 2023 at 5:06 pm
Jamal deans back so goodbye lavonte thxs
March 13th, 2023 at 5:06 pm
Dean !!!!
March 13th, 2023 at 5:06 pm
Giants got a good backup on their d-line.
March 13th, 2023 at 5:07 pm
Always liked Nacho. The D always seemed to be fired up when he was on the field.
March 13th, 2023 at 5:08 pm
I rather let Dean walk. We can draft his replacement!
March 13th, 2023 at 5:09 pm
Will be interesting to see Dean’s numbers. At least we’re solid at corner. About 10 other positions to go however…
March 13th, 2023 at 5:09 pm
Resigned Dean!
March 13th, 2023 at 5:10 pm
Dean for 13 mil a year. Gonna draft linemen this year gentlemen! Edge rushers, dline, oline, probably a safety. Defensive heavy draft is my prediction
March 13th, 2023 at 5:10 pm
He played hard for us and will be missed!
March 13th, 2023 at 5:14 pm
Leopold, if those numbers are correct that’s a solid deal for the team. I have to believe his market value was a bit higher than that.
March 13th, 2023 at 5:15 pm
Just reported on PFT – Bucs are going to re-sign CB J. Dean. 4 years $52M…
March 13th, 2023 at 5:15 pm
That is too bad!
March 13th, 2023 at 5:15 pm
However Jamel Dean just signed a 4 year contract with the Bucs!
March 13th, 2023 at 5:18 pm
I really like Nacho as a role player. Bummer.
Oh well, next man up!
March 13th, 2023 at 5:21 pm
2023 projected Bucs defensive lineup:
CB: Davis
SS: ?
SLB: ?
MLB: White
WLB: Britt
DE: JTS
DT: Hall
DT: ?
DE: Shaq post Achilles surgery/?
FS: Winfield
CB: Dean
That’s a lot of question marks and seriously underperforming/underwhelming players in JTS, Hall, and Britt with a massive question mark around Shaq Barrett’s return from surgery.
This year’s draft must be about the defense.
March 13th, 2023 at 5:23 pm
Correction, I keep forgetting Vea, SMH.
2023 Projected Bucs Defense:
CB: Davis
SS: ?
SLB: ?
MLB: White
WLB: Britt
DE: JTS
DT: Hall
DT: Vea
DE: Shaq post Achilles surgery/?
FS: Winfield
CB: Dean
That’s a lot of question marks and seriously underperforming/underwhelming players in JTS, Hall, and Britt with a massive question mark around Shaq Barrett’s return from surgery.
This year’s draft must be about the defense.
March 13th, 2023 at 5:24 pm
Dean did a very good job last season. Most of the time passes were getting completed over the middle of the zones and on the right side.
That left side that Dean was covering wasn’t picked on by very many quarterbacks. Dean has good recovery speed and is the most improved player in the secondary.
But both him and Davis need to get some picks. Neither of them have shown ability to jump routes and catch it.
March 13th, 2023 at 5:34 pm
Losing Nacho is not a big deal. Got to re-sign Nassib and Nelson, though.
March 13th, 2023 at 5:42 pm
Nacho was a good guy to rotate with vea.. kinda sad to see him go.. just can’t afford to keep everyone
March 13th, 2023 at 6:10 pm
Meh. Decent depth player, but played way too much in my opinion. If Vita can put down the quad-bacon cheeseburgers this offseason and drop about 50 pounds to get down to around 330, he should be able to play a lot more downs and be more than a part time player. That would help out a lot more than a decent backup.
March 13th, 2023 at 6:11 pm
Thanks Nacho. The Bucs will have a hard time replacing your enthusiasm
March 13th, 2023 at 6:15 pm
Thanks Nacho – Good luck.
March 13th, 2023 at 6:36 pm
Nacho came in as former KC practice squad cast off, kept his head down, talked his ass off, worked hard, and turned himself into a solid role player in Tampa on that is also a Super Bowl champion. Add that to his personal journey as a migrant and BOOM, American dream manifested. Good job Nacho, hope he does well for the G-Men
March 13th, 2023 at 6:42 pm
Nacho always reminded me of JPP. They seemed like similar people to me. I will miss him. Keep fighting, Nacho. Hope you like the Giants and they like you as much as we do.
March 13th, 2023 at 6:50 pm
Loved Nacho. He had real, infectious energy. Unlike the fake crap Diva White screams and slobbers. Unlike the catatonic stupor Bloweszo puts the whole team in.
March 13th, 2023 at 6:53 pm
BelleGladeBuc….
Apparently you also keep forgetting that we play a 3-4 defense. Great analysis. Who do you think the team will have at QB to run our Wishbone offense this season? Tommy Frazier maybe?
March 13th, 2023 at 6:57 pm
We might just lose Will Gholston too
March 13th, 2023 at 7:11 pm
Thanks for the hard work and a job done well, Nacho!
March 13th, 2023 at 7:13 pm
“BelleGladeBuc Says:
March 13th, 2023 at 5:23 pm
Correction, I keep forgetting Vea, SMH.”
Probably because you were just listing full time players who were out there most of the game. With Nacho gone the pressure is on Vita Vea to play a full games woth of snaps and not be a 50% participant.
Best of luck to Nacho. He was a real spark on Defense!
March 13th, 2023 at 7:26 pm
NACHO WAS AWESOME!
The Bucs don’t make it to the Super Bowl without Nacho. Much love wish we could have kept him.
March 13th, 2023 at 7:30 pm
Nach was way more than a backup he was a trusted member of the D He was in and there was no issue, he was solid and will be missed, without him we would of been in a difficult spot in 2020
March 13th, 2023 at 7:34 pm
The local SPCA is relieved.
March 13th, 2023 at 7:41 pm
Not good. The D line is thin as it is and Nacho was dependable and a good player. Next up Nelson and Gholston?
March 13th, 2023 at 8:04 pm
Our weak link is Plan 9 from Outer Space
March 13th, 2023 at 9:19 pm
@Brandon
You apparently don’t know football.
The Bucs say that they run a 3-4 defense, but please tell me when they have lined up in a true 3-4, with a SAM, WILL, MIKE and BUCK as their LB’s.
The Bucs say that they are a 3-4 defense, but those of us who know the game will tell you that what they say isn’t what they play.
Please tell me when Vea lines up as a true NG over center to dominate the A gap? Who’s Vea’s backup when he’s not in the game lining up in the A gap in the game as a NG?
I bet you don’t even know what the A gap is. Google it and act like you knew what it is in a future post where you admonish me again. I bet you don’t even know what dip, rip, slip, or punch technique to use as a NG. Should a NG ever swim? I bet you don’t know what it means to die in your hole as the NG in a
3-4. Google it, newbie.
It doesn’t happen because Vea lines up over the guard as a 1 tech every time he’s in the game, with Nacho, Hall or Gholston as the 3 tech. Shaq and JTS line up as the DE in wide 9 or 7 tech. Google 1 tech, 3 tech, 7 tech and 9 tech.
That’s 4 down lineman for those of us watching the game.
Again, who’s the WILL, BUCK, MIKE and SAM LB’s in our 3-4 scheme that you speak of. Who are the 4 LB’s that the Bucs have on the field? Just because you say you’re 3-4, doesn’t mean that you’re 3-4.
Please tell me when Shaq or JTS line up inside of the Y on 11 or 12 personnel. The answer is never. That tells you that the Bucs don’t run a 3-4. It’s basic to those of us who know football.
Now that we have established that you don’t know football, please don’t question those of us who do.
March 13th, 2023 at 9:35 pm
Nacho was good depth. It would have been better to keep Nacho than pony up that much for Dean. DL remains thin and undermanned.
March 13th, 2023 at 9:59 pm
Ahh man! I liked me some Nacho on this team.
March 13th, 2023 at 11:00 pm
Thanks Nacho! Good Health!