The Buccaneers will release veteran defensive tackle Chris Hovan. Hovan, a 10-year veteran, is coming off his fifth season with the Buccaneers. He was scheduled to make $4 million for the 2010 season. Tampa Bay selected defensive tackles with their first two draft choices, picking Oklahoma's Gerald McCoy third overall and UCLA's Brian Price in the second round.

The Buccaneers have signed undrafted rookie quarterback Jevan Snead. Snead played at Ole Miss, starting in each of the last two seasons. He threw for 2,762 yards with 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 2009.

The Buccaneers are unsuccessfully trying to trade wide receiver Michael Clayton. No teams have expressed interest in the former first-round pick. Clayton became expendable over the weekend when Tampa Bay selected Arrelious Benn and Mike Williams in the draft. A year ago, Clayton signed a five-year contract worth $26-million that included $10-million guaranteed.

The Bucs were well aware of receivers Santonio Holmes' and Brandon Marshall's availability by trade this week, but general manager Mark Dominik said the team opted not to pursue either player after investigating their situations. "I think the role of a general manager in any football team is to have a pulse of what?s going on around the National Football League," Dominik said today. "Did we have a pulse of what was going on? Absolutely. I know there was a report out there that we were one of the four finalists for Brandon Marshall. That?s not true. "All I know is we evaluate each person individually. We dig into it just like we would a college prospect because you?re giving up what you consider is value ? draft choices. You make a determination from there. we certainly were aware of both situations. . . I?d say we evaluated it internally and we made a decision. Receiver is a position that we?re going to continue to look at and monitor on this football team. But you?ve got to look at what you think is best long term for this football team and that?s how we looked at both of them."

Byron Leftwich may end up returning to the Buccaneers after all, according to the Tampa Tribune. Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris likes Leftwich as a mentor for young starter Josh Freeman. "(Byron) didn't work out as a starter for us (in 2009), but even when he wasn't a starter, he was a very productive leader," Morris said. "He did nothing but help Josh Freeman learn how to work. He did nothing but help Josh Freeman grow along the way. There would be no shock in my mind to see Byron Leftwich on our team."