TAMPA, Fla. — Editor's Note: The video above is from this weekend when Bucs quarterback Tom Brady announced he would be returning to the team for another season.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers right guard Alex Cappa, who became a free agent this month, plans to sign a four-year deal worth $40 million with the Cincinnati Bengals, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
"Tom Brady’s loss will be Joe Burrow’s gain," Schefter tweeted, with the news coming just hours after Brady announced he was ending his 40-day retirement to return to the Bucs for another season.
As ESPN notes, Cincinnati has been trying to boost the protection around Burrow – a task for which 27-year-old Cappa would be well-suited.
The 6-foot-6, 305-pound Humboldt State grad made the switch from tackle to guard. He's spent the last four seasons with the Bucs, most recently as a starter on the offensive line.
Cappa made an impressive comeback last season after fracturing his ankle during the Bucs' January 2021 wild card playoff victory over the Washington Football Team.
For the record, the negotiating window for NFL teams to chat with free agents began at noon Monday. Schefter tweeted about Cappa a minute later.
"Schefter tweeted the news one minute after the legal tampering period started, meaning it’s safe to assume there had been contact between the Bengals and Cappa before then," NBC Sports wrote. "That’s not allowed, but the NFL rarely does anything about it."