Gerald McCoy is officially a former member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Shortly after word broke that Buccaneers would be cutting McCoy, the team announced the defensive tackle’s departure. The team said the two sides “mutually parted ways” before going on to note the increased financial flexibility that comes with ending McCoy’s time in Tampa that made the move an appealing option for the team.
General Manager Jason Licht referred to McCoy as a franchise cornerstone in his statement and head coach Bruce Arians, who didn’t coach McCoy, offered one as well.
“I know Gerald has done a lot of good things on and off the football field in Tampa during his time here,” Arians said. “You hate to see good football players go, but this is a decision that we felt needed to be made in order to allow us, and Gerald, the ability to move forward. Gerald is a class-act and I wish him the best.”
The Bucs took McCoy with the third overall pick of the 2010 draft, and he made three All-Pro teams during his time with the team.