The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have agreed to terms with the New York Jets for nose tackle Steve McLendon, according to a report by the beat writer from the Tampa Bay Times Rick Stroud.
#Bucs agreed to terms on a trade with Jets for NT Steve McClendon.
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) October 19, 2020
Originally an undrafted rookie out of Troy, McLendon signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2010 where he spent the next six seasons before signing a long-term deal in New York. While the 34-year-old defensive tackle is on a one-year deal, he is expected to provide depth for a Tampa Bay defense that lost defensive tackle Vita Vea to a season-ending ankle injury, in last week's Thursday night matchup against the Chicago Bears.
Considered one of the top interior lineman in the NFL, according to advanced stats provided by Pro Football Focus, the loss of Vea had many worried about a Buccaneers' defense that had started to round into shape. Tampa Bay responded forcefully Sunday afternoon however, holding the Green Bay Packers to a mere 10 points, while intercepting quarterback Aaron Rodgers twice, and only allowing him to gain 160 yards through the air.
Without their defensive stalwart in Vea, the Buccaneers are likely to welcome the veteran presence of McLendon, even if he hasn't reproduced the multi-sack campaigns that he has had in the past. Through four games to start the year, the 10-year veteran has accrued 10 tackles.
To complete the trade, Tampa Bay has surrendered a sixth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, gaining McLendon as well as a seventh-round pick the following year, per ESPN's Rich Cimini, a reasonable price given the “win-now” mode the Buccaneers are currently operating under.
McLendon previously played under current Buccaneers defensive coordinator Todd Bowles in New York during the assistant's head coach tenure with the Jets for three years before Bowles' ouster.
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