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Da'Quan Bowers sent a pair of tweets Friday morning to thank the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' coaching staff and fans, indicating that the defensive lineman has been released in advance of Saturday's mandatory roster cut-down. Bowers, 25, ended his thank-you tweets with "#BUC4LIFE." The Bucs drafted Bowers in the second round in 2011, but the former Clemson star picked up only seven sacks in four NFL seasons. He had five tackles and sack Thursday night in the preseason finale, a 22-17 victory in Miami. Defensive tackle is the Bucs' deepest position. Gerald McCoy is an All-Pro, and Clinton McDonald, Tony McDaniel and Henry Melton are locks to make the team. The team also has high hopes for defensive ends Jacquies Smith and George Johnson. That put Bowers and William Gholston on the roster bubble. The Bucs seemed ready to part ways with Bowers when his contract ended last season, but they decided to re-sign him in July.  Bowers' conditioning had been an issue in the past, but head coach Lovie Smith was happy with what he had seen this summer. "We're just basing it on the type of shape he's in right now, which is good shape," Smith said in early August. "He has an opportunity to really show us what he can do." NFL teams must reduce their rosters to 53 players by 4 p.m. ET Saturday. Bowers could land with a team that needs help on the defensive line. Information from ESPN staff writer Pat Yasinskas was used in this story.
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