What kind of cheese is not yours? Rakeem "Nacho" Nunez-Roches cheese. It sounded better in my head.
Anyway, the New York Giants are saying goodbye to a familiar face along the defensive line. 11-year veteran defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches is heading back to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a one-year deal, as reported by NFL insider Mike Garafolo:
The #Buccaneers are finalizing a one-year deal with DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches, as @NFLSTROUD reported. Nacho is headed back to Tampa, where he played for the Bucs from 2018-22, after two seasons with the #Giants. pic.twitter.com/eqHKnWCM7f
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) April 3, 2026
The move sends Nacho back to Tampa, where he spent five seasons from 2018 to 2022 and was part of the team’s 31-9 Super Bowl annihilation over the Chiefs. After three years in New York, he returns to Todd Bowles’ defensive system, where he already knows his role and where he carved out a spot as a solid rotational piece alongside Ndamukong Suh, Vita Vea, and former Giants star Jason Pierre-Paul.
Rakeem Nunez-Roches heads back to Tampa Bay as Giants move forward on defensive line
Nunez-Roches appeared in 40 games for the G-Men over the past three seasons, making 24 starts and recording 101 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and 11 quarterback hits. His most productive season came in 2024, when he started all 15 games he played and finished with 52 tackles and six QB hits.
His final year in New York was shorter than expected. Injuries limited him to nine games, though he still managed a career-high three sacks during that stretch before finishing the season on injured reserve. When healthy, he remained a semi-reliable defender and a locker room leader.
New York originally brought him in as a run-stuffer, but unfortunately, the run defense never improved with him on the field.
The Bucs are bringing him back with a clear role in mind. Head coach Todd Bowles talked about wanting to get bigger and more physical up front at the League Meetings last week, and Nunez-Roches fits that as a rotational piece who can occupy space and help stabilize the run defense alongside Tampa Bay’s already strong front.
As for Big Blue, letting Nacho walk was an easy call. There was never much of a path to bringing him back. He joins D.J. Davidson as another former Giant lineman finding a new home, as the team continues to reshape its defensive front around Dexter Lawrence. After signing Sam Roberts and hosting Shelby Harris for a visit, the draft feels like the next real chance to add help and make Dexy a little more sexy.
Nunez-Roches wasn’t a long-term solution in New York, but he gave them a respected fan favorite who tried hard. Now he heads back to walk the plank, where he’s already been part of a championship front and knows what’s expected of him.
His signing is not expected to count towards New York's compensatory pick formula for next year. However, it is expected to have a considerable effect on nacho consumption in the tristate area.