Devonta Freeman Says 'A Number of Teams Are Interested' Amid Buccaneers Rumors

Free-agent running back Devonta Freeman is still without a home for the 2020 season, but the ex-Atlanta Falcon offered an update on Thursday alongside a shoutout to a former NFC South rival on Twitter.

"I read in the media that Tampa Bay Buccaneers are interested," he said. "A number of teams are interested, but we can't negotiate through the media, the Buccaneers can reach out to me directly."

The media report in question likely refers to comments made by Bucs head coach Bruce Arians, who said the team would consider adding Freeman "if his price tag was reasonable" to reporters in a conference call on Thursday (h/t Jon Ledyard of Pewter Report).  

However, Arians noted one caveat that may prevent that from happening: "He's asking for a lot of money, and we don't have a lot of money."

Freeman gained 1,066 scrimmage yards and scored six touchdowns for the Falcons last season. The six-year veteran is a two-time Pro Bowler who eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards during the 2015 and 2016 campaigns.

Freeman saw his yards-per-carry total dip to 3.6 last year, but he's a versatile pass-catching back who snagged 59 receptions for 410 yards and four touchdowns in 2019.

If he and the Bucs could work something out, the ex-Florida State Seminole wouldn't have travel far to land at his new stomping grounds.

The Bucs currently have third-year pro Ronald Jones II and rookie Ke'Shawn Vaughn in the backfield, as well as Dare Ogunbowale and rookie seventh-rounder Raymond Calais. It may be a bit crowded, and despite his past accolades, Freeman isn't going to be anointed the starter just by showing up.

A second-round pick in 2018, Jones struggled mightily in his first year but excelled in 2019, amassing 1,033 scrimmage yards and six total touchdowns. The Bucs also invested a 2020 third-round selection in Vaughn, a versatile back who rushed for over 1,000 yards and caught 28 passes for Vanderbilt last year.

If signed, Freeman could very well be part of a three-man timeshare in which no one gets the clear bulk of the carries every week.

Regardless of where he would fall on the depth chart, though, the Bucs offense would become deeper and more formidable with his presence.

Tampa has already added six-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Tom Brady and three-time Super Bowl champion tight end Rob Gronkowski to an offense that scored the third-most points in the NFL last year.