The Buccaneers traded away wide receiver Mike Williams on Friday, opening up a spot on their depth chart with most of the top free agent pickings already snapped up.
Lavelle Hawkins was not one of those players and it looks like he’ll be headed to Tampa to compete for some of the snaps left open by Williams’ departure. Adam Caplan of ESPN reports that the Buccaneers are expected to sign Hawkins, who played for Bucs offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford in college, to a deal in the near future.
Hawkins played four games with the Chargers last season, joining the team during the season after being released by the Patriots in July and failing to make the 49ers during training camp. He didn’t have any catches in San Diego while returning eight kickoffs, but had 71 catches over five seasons with the Titans after they drafted him in the fourth round in 2008.
If Hawkins does sign, he’ll join a receiving corps topped by Vincent Jackson. Chris Owusu (13 catches in 2013) and the recently signed Louis Murphy are the next two names on the list so this may not be the last move the Bucs make to address their receiver group this offseason.