Last season, six different undrafted rookies suited up for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the regular season, many of them adopting significant roles on the team. That's a high number, but it varies only in degree from previous years, not in practice. Every year, some undrafted rookies prove they are ready to play in the NFL.
After the conclusion of the seventh round of this year's draft last Saturday night, the Buccaneers signed 14 rookies who had been passed over. Those 14 could be joined by a few more undrafted hopefuls in the next couple weeks, after the coaching staff pores over mini-camp tape of the 26 tryout players in town for the weekend.