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Buccaneers strike again by signing CB Verner, likely meaning Revis on way out

eric edholm

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have one Pro Bowl corner on the trade block, but they have signed another one to eventually replace him.

The Buccaneers, one of the busiest teams on the first day of free agency, have signed cornerback Alterraun Verner, perhaps the best-available player at his position. The signing was first reported by Tampa Bay Times' Rick Stroud.

Verner, 25, is coming off a career season with the Tennessee Titans.

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NFL Network's Ian Rapoport has the financial details:

The Buccaneers are starting to rebuild their defense with the additions of Verner, defensive end Michael Johnson and defensive tackle Clinton McDonald, all signed in the first five hours of free agency.

Meanwhile, Darrelle Revis is on the trade market, and two teams — the Oakland Raiders and Cleveland Browns — are believed to have talked to the Buccaneers about a deal. However, it's likely that either team would want to renegotiate Revis' $16 million salary before they agree to a trade. Revis, naturally, would want to hit the open market so that more teams could vie for his services, which would give him a great chance at landing more guaranteed money.

Verner is a nice fit for head coach Lovie Smith and defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier's scheme, which is expected to be primarily zone coverage. Revis has always stated a preference to be a man-cover corner, which — along with his salary — is one reason he's on the block.

But we'll see how long that lasts. The Bucs need to have Revis off the roster prior to Wednesday at 4 p.m. or the conditional pick they owe the New York Jets in the Revis trade goes from a fourth- to a third-round pick.

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Eric Edholm

is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at edholm@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!