Tampa Bay booted an expensive kicker and replaced him with one from the mothballs.
After cutting Roberto Aguayo on Saturday, the Buccaneers signed Zach Hocker, the team announced Sunday. Hocker will split reps with Nick Folk.
The professional bio on Hocker is brief: The kicker from Arkansas played for the New Orleans Saints and the then-St. Louis Rams in 2015, appearing in eight games combined and making 10 of 14 field goal attempts. Hocker also made 12 of 13 point-after attempts.
Hocker was drafted in the seventh round (228th overall) by the Washington Redskins in 2014, but lost a training camp kicking battle with Kai Forbath, who also replaced Hocker in New Orleans in 2015 after Hocker missed four of his first 13 field goal attempts.
Tampa Bay’s extra kicker spot opened up when the team released former second-round pick Roberto Aguayo after he struggled again in the Bucs’ preseason opener.
