Buccaneers Release CB Alterraun Verner

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have released veteran cornerback Alterraun Verner. The former 2014 free agent coup was too expensive for the Bucs taste in 2017. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport was on the news.

Source: The #Bucs are releasing CB Alterraun Verner today. The future of Vernon Hargreaves helps explain this one for the former FA pickup

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 23, 2017

Verner, 28, is a former 4th round pick of the Titans in 2010. Verner originally signed a 4-year deal worth $25.75 million prior to the 2014 season. Heading into the final year of that deal, Tampa Bay didn’t find his $6.5 million cap hit very feasible.

In 2016, Verner made only 3 starts. His 12 total tackles on the season made this move pretty inevitable for quite some time. With the rise in play of Vernon Hargreaves and Brent Grimes, Verner became expendable.

He will surely find a new home in 2016 but at what cost? He joins a crowded secondary free agent market that includes A.J. Bouye and others. Speaking of Bouye, is he about to become a free agent bust similar to Verner?