J.R. Sweezy Released by Buccaneers After 2 Seasons

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers released veteran offensive lineman J.R. Sweezy on Friday, the team announced.

Sweezy signed a five-year, $32.5 million deal with Tampa in March 2016. He was scheduled to make $6.5 million in 2018.

Injuries played a big role in his time with Tampa Bay. He was sidelined the entire 2016 season as the result of back surgery, and while he played 14 games in 2017, he missed the end of the year after breaking his left fibula.

Earlier this month, Sweezy told Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times that he felt "great" as he waited to be medically cleared: "You get to step back and really dig in on the playbook and understand another level deeper, but you always want to be out there with your guys. That's the hardest part: just standing out here and not being able to do much other than watch."

Now, he will have to try to catch on with another team.

A seventh-round pick out of NC State in 2012, Sweezy spent the first four years of his career with the Seattle Seahawks, winning a Super Bowl ring in 2014. He started all but two games in the three seasons following his rookie campaign and earned himself a nice contract with the Buccaneers.

However, injuries caught up to the 29-year-old and made him expendable.

Third-year lineman Caleb Benenoch and third-round pick Alex Cappa are among the options Tampa Bay can turn to at right guard to replace Sweezy.