TAMPA, Fla. — The Buccaneers locked up an important piece of their offensive line, signing left guard Ali Marpet to a five-year contract extension that will keep him with the club through 2023.
Sources told ESPN that the deal is worth $55 million, with $27.125 guaranteed, making Marpet one of the highest-paid left guards in the league.
Marpet is among a handful of key players in the final year of their rookie contracts, along with left tackle Donovan Smith and middle linebacker Kwon Alexander, whom the Bucs have been trying to re-sign.
Smith tweeted congratulations to his teammate:
AALLLLIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!! 💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾 https://t.co/qJY6Sor3GE
— Donovan Smith (@DSmith_76) October 9, 2018
Alexander also tweeted congratulations to Marpet.
A second-round draft pick out of Division III Hobart College, Marpet became a Day 1 starter at right guard. He shifted to center and then left guard, starting 44 games over the past 3¼ seasons.
The Bucs became enamored with Marpet at the Senior Bowl, which prompted them to make him the first Division III player selected in the second round of the NFL draft.
Marpet has drawn praise from the Bucs’ brass for his physicality, versatility, consistency, intelligence and communication skills. He has served as a captain, and he and Smith even assisted in the recruiting of center Ryan Jensen as a free agent.