Bucs Release Specialist After Three Seasons

The Bucs have announced they are releasing veteran kicker Ryan Succop after three seasons with the team. Succop has a special place in Bucs history for his 2020 season alone. Not only did he come in and solidify the team’s kicking position after it went through a curse of sorts for several years, but he did so after signing on Sept. 1, just 12 days before Tampa Bay’s season opener at New Orleans.

The Bucs chose to go with Succop over 2019 fifth-round pick Matt Gay, and the veteran rewarded them in a big way. He totaled 136 points in 2020, setting a new single-season franchise record. His 28-of-31 (90.3%) mark on field goals that season was a significant step up from Gay in 2019, Cairo Santos and Chandler Catanzaro in 2018, Nick Folk and Patrick Murray in 2017, Roberto Aguayo in 2016, Kyle Brindza in 2015…

You get the picture. Succop’s steadiness proved extremely valuable as the Bucs went on to win Super Bowl LV.

Bucs Release Ryan Succop, Wanting A Stronger Leg

Bucs K Ryan Succop – Photo by: USA Today

In 2021, Succop signed a three-year contract extension with the Bucs at the age of 34. He delivered another strong season for Tampa Bay, totaling 131 points — the second-most in a single season in team history. It started with a bang, as the then-35-year-old connected on the game-winning field goal from 36 yards out to beat the Cowboys in the season opener. Going 25-of-30 (83.3%) on field goals and 56-of-59 (94.9%) on extra points, he took a bit of a step back in 2021. Even still, he was a key part of Tampa Bay winning a franchise-record 13 games.

The Bucs had Succop compete with Jose Borregales during training camp and the preseason prior to the 2022 season, due in part to the veteran’s declining leg strength. However, they decided to keep him over the young upstart because of his accuracy. In a sense, he gave Tampa Bay what it probably expected this past season. He was 29-of-31 (93.5%) on field goals between 20 and 49 yards out, but just 2-of-7 (28.6%) on kicks beyond 50 yards.

After the season, Bucs head coach Todd Bowles praised Succop while also acknowledging that the team needed a kicker who could make kicks from 50-plus yards.

“Ryan was very efficient this year, but we’ve got to be able to kick longer field goals than we’ve kicked,” Bowles said on his radio show. “I think we’ve got to get past 47 yards, be able to kick from 50, 55 yards as well.”

With that comment, it became even clearer that Succop would not be back to play out the final year of his contract in 2023. That was already unlikely, of course, given the Bucs’ cap situation and the savings they could get by releasing him. By parting ways with the 14-year veteran, Tampa Bay saves $3,250,000.

Succop finishes his Bucs career with records for most points in a season (136 in 2020), most extra points in a season (56 in 2021) and career field goal percentage for kickers with a minimum of 50 attempts (.848%). His 384 points over the last three seasons are the seventh-most in franchise history, while his 84 field goals are the sixth-most.