Carimi, Landri among Bucs' first 2014 cuts

In the first signs of a new coach and general manager evaluating their roster, the Bucs cut four players on Monday, waiving offensive lineman Gabe Carimi, running back Michael Hill and quarterback Jordan Rodgers and releasing defensive tackle Derek Landri.

The team also confirmed the signing of quarterback Mike Kafka, a former Northwestern starter who was a backup with the Eagles from 2010-12.

Of the four cuts, Carimi is the most surprising -- the Bucs gave up a sixth-round pick in this year's draft to acquire Carimi from the Bears last summer. He was a first-round pick by Chicago in 2011 (when Lovie Smith was head coach there) but was used primarily as a sixth linemen in the second half of the season, starting three games early as injuries limited the Bucs' guards.

Landri started one game last year and totaled nine tackles as a top backup at defensive tackle, and Hill played sparingly as an injury fill-in after four running backs were placed on injured reserve. Hill also was arrested in Missouri last month, charged with resisting arrest after an alleged bar fight in his hometown. Rodgers was on the Bucs' practice squad most of last season and had been signed to the roster after the season.

The Bucs make some salary-cap savings with the move -- Carimi was due a $592,187 roster bonus next month, and Landri was due a base salary of $1.5 million had he made the Bucs' roster.