National Football League

Bucs bolster offensive line with signing of G J.R. Sweezy

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 11:06 a.m. ET

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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) The Tampa Bay Buccaneers addressed a need created by Logan Mankins' retirement by signing former Seattle Seahawks guard J.R. Sweezy to a five-year deal in free agency.

Sweezy joins the Bucs after spending his first four seasons with the Seahawks, starting 49 of 59 regular-season games and 10 postseason games in helping win a pair of NFC championships and one Super Bowl.

The signing comes less than a week after Mankins announced his retirement and one day after All-Pro running back Doug Martin re-signed for five years, $35.7 million.

Mankins was the starting left guard for the past two seasons after nine years with the Patriots. The Bucs began overhauling their offensive line when they drafted left tackle Donovan Smith and right guard Ali Marpet, who became immediate starters as rookies in 2015.

Sweezy was a 2012 seventh-round draft pick of the Seahawks.

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