The Tampa Bay Buccaneers turned their roster cutdown day into a chance to stock the practice squad with a mix of familiar names, developmental pieces and a few players who had real runs at the active roster.
Once the Bucs settled on their 53-man group, the focus shifted to who would stick around. Tampa Bay did not claim any players off waivers and lost only one, with undrafted rookie outside linebacker Jack Pyburn being claimed by the Kansas City Chiefs.
At quarterback, the Buccaneers went with undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels as the backup and moved on from Connor Bazelak and Jake Browning, which opened the door for Stick. The seven-year veteran is now set to lead the practice squad after spending training camp with the Indianapolis Colts.
He also reconnects with offensive coordinator Zac Robinson and passing game coordinator T.J. Yates, both of whom he worked with in Atlanta with the Falcons in 2025.
Running back Owen Wright is back after a preseason battle that had him in the mix with Sean Tucker. Tucker got a pay bump, Williams was cut, cleared waivers, and now returns to Tampa Bay for a second season.
Tampa Bay’s deep receiver group pushed several pass-catchers to the practice squad lane. Georgia Tech undrafted rookies Dean Patterson and Eric Rivers, along with Garrett Greene, all missed the 53-man cut but remained in the organization.
Tight end Devin Culp is also headed back to the practice squad after spending the last couple of years on the active roster. This time, he lost his spot to rookie Bauer Sharp.
The Bucs also brought back depth across the offensive line and into the trenches. Scott returns as the third center behind Graham Barton and Dan Feeny.
Lutovsky comes in as a guard and continues what the team has built as the Jason Licht-Nebraska pipeline. Rubelt, the former UCF tackle from down the I-4 corridor, will carry the international exemption designation after getting plenty of preseason snaps because of injuries at tackle.
Jones returns to the practice squad after an injury-filled rookie year. He fought through camp and preseason against Elijah Simmons and Josiah Green for the final roster spot, but Simmons won that job.
Holmes, who went undrafted out of Tarleton State and earned a rookie minicamp tryout, kept his momentum going and is now signed as a key practice squad player.
The linebacker group keeps getting younger, and Wright earned a spot over Nick Jackson and John Bullock. That makes him another Nebraska alumnus in the building for general manager Jason Licht.
Parodie was among the first reported practice squad additions, and he again showed up in camp and preseason. His tip-drill interception against the Kansas City Chiefs stood out.
Tampa Bay also added a known commodity in Murphy-Bunting. The former Super Bowl champion was released by the Arizona Cardinals and now gives the Buccaneers another option with a chance to be elevated to the 53-man roster. His arrival adds depth to the room.
At safety, Roberts and Wisdom are both back on the practice squad after second-year seasons that kept them in the mix. The staff has been high on both, and Wisdom logged plenty of special teams work during the preseason. Melifonwu rounds out the group, bringing veteran experience and even more depth.
In Other News...
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There is still optimism both players could be available, but the situation is enough to keep Tampa Bay on alert this early in the week. Todd Bowles said he will take another look at their status next week, and until then the Bucs are left waiting to see whether two important pieces of their passing attack can get back on the field in time. [Read more 🡒]
Shilo Sanders Just Pulled The Buccaneers Back Into His Latest Controversy
Shilo Sanders quick run with the Buccaneers ended as abruptly as it began, after the undrafted safety was waived following an ejection for throwing a punch in a preseason game. The son of Deion Sanders had signed a three-year deal in Tampa Bay, but his NFL opportunity was cut short before he could make much of an imprint on the roster.
Since then, Sanders has turned his attention to music, releasing a rap album called World of Headache that leans into the incident and even includes appearances from his father and brother. For a player who spent five college seasons at South Carolina, Jackson State and Colorado, the football side of the story may have paused for now, but his name is still finding a way back into the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Just Added A Quarterback Twist To Their Practice Squad
The Buccaneers filled out their practice squad with a familiar group Tuesday, bringing back 15 players who were with the team in training camp and adding one notable name at quarterback. Easton Stick, most recently waived by the Indianapolis Colts, joined Tampa Bays 16-player unit as the club continued sorting out its developmental depth heading into the next stretch of the season.
Stick brings some NFL experience to the room after appearing in six league games, and his path also includes a long run at North Dakota State. The only addition who does not count against the practice squad limit is Paul Rubelt, the International Player Pathway Program member, giving Tampa Bay a little extra flexibility as it rounds out the back end of the roster. [Read more 🡒]