Tim Jennings to Buccaneers: Latest Contract Details, Comments and Reaction

In the space of two years, Tim Jennings went from going to the Pro Bowl to being out of a job. However, the 31-year-old cornerback has found a new home with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The team confirmed the move on Sept. 7, per Scott Smith of the team's official website.

On Monday, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported, "Jennings should sign with [Tampa Bay] today, likely for minimum. [Chicago] on the hook for $4 million with offsets, so [Tampa Bay] will pay as little as possible."

As Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times noted, it's a reunion for Jennings and Lovie Smith, his old head coach with the Chicago Bears:

Bleacher Report's Luke Easterling is ecstatic with the signing:

The Bears surprised a few fans when they released Jennings near the end of August, per ESPN.com's Jeff Dickerson. Bears head coach John Fox was blunt in his reasoning behind the decision, per 670 The Score in Chicago:    

The fact Jennings pleaded guilty in July to reckless driving might have also impacted the situation. He had originally been arrested on charges of driving under the influence and could face additional punishment from the NFL.

Jennings also had arthroscopic knee surgery in February, calling into question his potential effectiveness in 2015.

Despite leaving the team on which he enjoyed the best years of his career, the veteran corner remained upbeat about his future.

"Chicago has treated me well, greeted me with open arms and gave me an opportunity," Jennings said an interview with ESPN's Josina Anderson (via Dickerson). "I was able to make the best of it. But now, with the changes from the general manager to the coaching staff, I think it's time for a change for me. I'm excited about what is next."

While Chicago clearly no longer valued Jennings as a member of its defense, he should be a solid addition for Tampa Bay.

Let's not forget Jennings is not far removed from his back-to-back Pro Bowl appearances. Between 2012 and 2013, he intercepted 13 passes and registered three defensive touchdowns.

While he didn't record a single interception in 2014, Pro Football Focus ranked him tied for 24th in yards per cover snap, which, in the site's words, "measures the yardage conceded when a player is in primary coverage, on a per-snap basis."

Even before the surgery this past winter, Jennings' days as a Pro Bowl pass defender were likely gone, but that's not to say he will stop being a productive cornerback altogether. Bleacher Report's Dan Pompei was among those wondering if Chicago had fully thought out letting Jennings go:

As long as Tampa Bay isn't expecting Jennings to recapture his 2012-13 self, this move should benefit all parties involved.

You do wonder, though, if Jennings might struggle a bit early on. He has little to no grace period with the regular season starting up in early September.

If Jennings doesn't hit the ground running, Buccaneers fans won't be entirely forgiving in their assessments of his performance.

Taking that into account, Tampa Bay did a very good job of improving its secondary at a point in the season when it can be difficult to find reinforcements.