Defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches is returning to the Tampa Bay Bucs with whom he won a Super Bowl championship. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Rakeem Nunez-Roches Leaves Giants for Tampa Bay Bucs

Originally posted on New York Giants on SI
By Patricia Traina | Last updated Apr 3, 2026 9:09 PM ET

Defensive lineman Rakeem “Nacho” Nunez-Roches is going back to the team with whom he reached the top of the mountain.

Nunez-Roches signed with the New York Giants three years ago as an unrestricted free agent. He provided depth on the Big Blue defensive line. He has now signed a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he won Super Bowl LV in 2021.

Nunez-Roches was originally a sixth-round draft pick by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2015 out of Southern Mississippi. He spent three seasons with the Chiefs before moving over to the Bucs in 2018, a team with whom he spent five seasons.

In three seasons with the Giants, “Nacho” appeared in 40 games with 24 starts, recording 5.5 sacks, 101 tackles, six tackles for loss, and 11 quarterback hits.

He had his “best” season with the Giants in 2024, appearing in 15 games with 15 starts and recording career highs in tackles (52) and quarterback hits (6).

Nacho had a rough final season with the NY Giants

Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Last season, in what was an injury-filled campaign that limited him to just nine games with five starts before landing on injured reserve toward the end of the season with an ankle injury, Nunez-Roches set a new career high in sacks with 3.0.

Hailed as a run-stopper, Nunez-Roches, in three seasons with Big Blue, never recorded a PFF run-stopping grade above 50.2, Nunez-Roches recording 41 STOPS in 653 run defense snaps.

The Giants, who are not believed to have made any overtures to retain Nunez-Roches, are in the process of remaking their defensive line.

The unit will be anchored by a (hopefully) healthy Dexter Lawrence II, with Roy Robertson-Harris, Darius Alexander, Chauncy Golston, and Elijah Chatman also among those on the unit.

The Giants, who did not retain DJ Davidson, a 2022 fifth-round draft pick who signed with Washington, are also believed to be planning to add young talent to the unit, which recently signed veteran defensive lineman Sam Roberts.

New York also recently checked in on veteran defensive lineman Shelby Harris. If Harris is in the plans, the Giants will likely wait until after the draft to sign him, when veteran additions no longer count toward the NFL’s comp pick formula for next year.

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This article first appeared on New York Giants on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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