Cornerback

Ifeatu Melifonwu

No. 9 · 6th season

Melifonwu lands in Tampa after a year without a team

A year without a team is a long time to sit and wait. For Ifeatu Melifonwu, that wait is over.

Melifonwu is a safety — the player responsible for patrolling the back end of the defense, the last line before a receiver turns a catch into a score. He last suited up for the Miami Dolphins. Now, per his agent, he has agreed to a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

One-year contracts in the NFL are essentially auditions. The team gets a look; the player gets a chance to prove he belongs. For someone who's been out of the league, it is exactly the kind of opening you want.

The door is open. What he does with a year in Tampa is the whole question.

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