The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are dipping into the veteran well ahead of their Week 16 matchup against the Panthers, elevating linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul to the active roster. It marks a significant return for the 36-year-old, who hasn’t seen game action in over two years. Alongside Pierre-Paul, the Bucs are also elevating defensive lineman Adam Gotsis, adding experience and depth to a front seven that’s gearing up for a critical stretch.
For Pierre-Paul, this isn’t just another call-up-it’s a full-circle moment. The former first-round pick from the 2010 NFL Draft made his name with the New York Giants, where he developed into a disruptive force off the edge. After playing out his rookie deal, he inked a four-year, $62 million extension with New York, $40 million of which was guaranteed-a clear sign of his value at the time.
But in 2018, the Giants opted to move on, trading Pierre-Paul to Tampa Bay for third- and fourth-round picks. That deal turned out to be a win for the Bucs, who got a productive veteran with championship pedigree.
Pierre-Paul restructured his contract to make 2019 the final year of the deal, and the Bucs doubled down on him in 2020 with a two-year, $27 million extension. That move paid off-he played a key role in Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl run that season, bringing both leadership and pass-rush juice to a defense that hit its stride at just the right time.
After his Tampa stint, Pierre-Paul spent the 2022 season with the Ravens, where he provided rotational depth. In 2023, he bounced between practice squads and active rosters, including a short stint with the Saints before the Dolphins added him to their 53-man roster. He appeared in three games between the two teams this season, tallying two tackles.
Now, he’s back in Tampa-older, wiser, and with plenty of miles on the tires, but still capable of giving the Bucs situational reps and veteran leadership. With playoff implications hanging in the balance, the Bucs are clearly banking on his experience to help stabilize a defense that’s had its ups and downs this year.
As for Gotsis, the veteran defensive lineman brings a different flavor to the rotation. He’s a reliable run defender with the ability to eat up space and clog lanes-exactly the kind of presence that can help neutralize Carolina’s ground game and take pressure off the linebackers behind him.
Both elevations speak to a larger theme for Tampa Bay: experience matters, especially in December. Whether Pierre-Paul still has some gas left in the tank remains to be seen, but if he can flash even a glimpse of his former self, he could be a valuable piece down the stretch.