Dean Patterson is beginning his NFL journey close to home.
On Monday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced the signing of five more rookie free agents, including Patterson, a wide receiver who most recently played at Georgia Tech, as well as New Mexico State running back Kadarius Calloway, Tarleton State outside linebacker Yasir Holmes and Notre Dame long snapper Scott Daly. Patterson hails from nearby Lutz and played his prep ball at Steinbrenner High School. In addition, the Bucs brought back linebacker John Bullock.
Calloway, Holmes, Patterson and Daly were four of the 40 players, most of whom were undrafted rookies, who participated in the Buccaneers' rookie minicamp on tryout contracts last weekend. In corresponding moves, the team waived long-snapper Wesley Brown, wide receiver Noah Short, linebacker Benton Whitley and running back Owen Wright.
Bullock (6-0, 230) returns to Tampa Bay after spending the majority of the 2025 season on the team's active roster, appearing in 15 games and recording 10 special teams tackles. He played collegiately at the University of Nebraska (2021-24), playing in 47 career games and compiling 126 tackles (12.5 for loss), 5.5 sacks, eight passes defensed, three forced fumbles and one interception (returned for a touchdown). Bullock earned honorable mention All-Big Ten recognition in 2024 after starting all 13 games and registering a career-high 70 tackles (10.0 for loss), six passes defensed, 4.0 sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception.
Calloway (6-0, 213) finished his collegiate tenure last year at New Mexico State after previous stops at California, Old Dominion and East Mississippi Community College. For the Aggies in 2025 he ran 115 times for 438 yards and three touchdowns while also catching 26 passes for 175 yards. Between his three stops at NMSU, Cal and ODU, Calloway recorded 1,185 rushing yards on 229 carries (5.2 avg.) and nine touchdowns as well as 35 receptions for 225 yards and one score.
Daly (6-2, 245) originally entered the NFL as a college free agent with the Dallas Cowboys in 2018. The sixth-year veteran has appeared in 76 career games between the Detroit Lions (2021-23) and Chicago Bears (2024-25), recording nine special teams tackles and two fumble recoveries. Daly played collegiately at the University of Notre Dame (2013-16), seeing time in 38 games.
Holmes (6-4, 240) played four years at Frostburg State before finishing up at Tarleton State last season. His one season with the Texans was very productive, including 47 tackles, 8.0 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss. That followed an eight-sack campaign in 2024, and in 32 total games at Frostburg State he amassed 141 tackles, 18.0 sacks and 32.5 tackles for loss.
Patterson (6-2, 200) similarly played four seasons at Florida International before transferring to Georgia Tech for the 2025 campaign. In 39 games for the Panthers, he hauled in 98 passes for 1,406 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 14.3 yards per reception. Last year for Georgia Tech, Patterson caught eight passes for 150 yards.
Brown and Short were both among the 15 undrafted rookies the Bucs signed prior to their rookie minicamp. Whitley spent the last eight weeks of last season on Tampa Bay's practice squad after joining the team on October 12. Wright originally signed with the Bucs last July and later returned to the practice squad in October. Between a pair of gameday elevations and a two-week stint on the active roster he saw action in three games and ran three times for six yards.
