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Bucs sign ex-Raven LB Daryl Smith, who is likely to start

 
Daryl Smith, left, pursues DeAngelo Williams while with the Ravens last season. Baltimore cut him last week in a salary-cap move.
Daryl Smith, left, pursues DeAngelo Williams while with the Ravens last season. Baltimore cut him last week in a salary-cap move.
Published March 18, 2016

TAMPA — The Bucs continue to add key pieces to their defense for 2016, signing veteran linebacker Daryl Smith to a one-year contract on Thursday night.

Smith, 34, is expected to step in as the Bucs' strongside linebacker, after the team released Bruce Carter and declined to tender a contract to Danny Lansanah. Smith has a long history with Bucs coaches, having played under defensive coordinator Mike Smith and linebackers coach Mark Dufner when he was in Jacksonville, when Bucs coach Dirk Koetter was the Jaguars' offensive coordinator.

Smith has had at least 120 tackles in each of the last three seasons with the Ravens, who cut him last week in a salary-cap move. Financial terms were not released on his one-year Bucs deal, but he was due to make $3.5 million from Baltimore before his release. Smith has more than 1,000 tackles in his 12-year NFL career, along with 301/2 sacks and 11 career interceptions.

He's the fourth addition to the Bucs defense in the last week, joining defensive end Robert Ayers and cornerbacks Brent Grimes and Josh Robinson.

More rule changes?

NEW YORK — The NFL's powerful competition committee is recommending making permanent extra-point kick snaps from the 15-yard line, eliminating all chop blocks and ejecting a player for twice receiving certain unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in a game.

When NFL owners meet next week in Florida, they also will consider such proposals as moving the line of scrimmage up 5 yards to the 25 on kickoff touchbacks, allowing coaches and players to use video rather than just photos on sideline tablets, and expanding the penalties on horse-collar tackles to cover the nameplate on the uniform.

Among the rule proposals that teams will present Monday through Wednesday are several involving video review: allowing three coaches' challenges instead of two even when one challenge fails, expanding what can be challenged to include everything but turnovers and scores, and eliminating overtime in preseason games.

Not being altered is what constitutes a catch, a subject that often infuriates players and fans.

Instead, according to Troy Vincent, the league's football operations chief, the emphasis will be on education and enforcement of the three current catch rule considerations: gaining possession, getting two feet down inbounds, and player safety.

After commissioner Roger Goodell suggested during Super Bowl week that player ejections for two egregious fouls would be considered, the committee is suggesting that specific unsportsmanlike conduct penalties could lead to expulsions. Those are:

• Throwing a punch or a forearm, or kicking at an opponent, even though no contact is made.

• Using abusive, threatening or insulting language, or gestures to opponents, teammates, officials or representatives of the league.

• Using baiting or taunting acts or words that engender ill will.

REVIS SURGERY: Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis will be limited during their offseason program after having surgery to repair a torn ligament in his wrist. He'll wear a hard cast for the next two to three months and is expected to be fully healed by training camp in late July.

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BRONCOS: Former Seahawks offensive tackle Russell Okung agreed to a five-year contract.

cardinals: Running back Chris Johnson visited the Dolphins, but agreed to terms on a one-year contract to stay with Arizona.

SAINTS: Former Rams linebacker James Laurinaitis signed a three-year deal and safety Jamarca Sanford signed a one-year deal to return.

TITANS: Former Steelers cornerback Antwon Blake and returning Tennessee offensive tackle Byron Bell agreed to one-year deals.

Information from Times wires was used in this report.