Jordan Whitehead: Will hit free agency

The Buccaneers informed Whitehead (neck) on Wednesday that his $3.75 million team option for 2025 will be declined, making him an unrestricted free agent when the new league year begins March 12, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

Tampa Bay will move on from the soon-to-be 28-year-old safety after he started 12 games in 2024 and finished with 79 tackles (49 solo) and three pass breakups. He missed the team's regular-season finale and its loss to the Commanders in the wild-card round due to a neck injury sustained in a car accident, but his availability for the start of the 2025 season doesn't appear to be in any peril.