The Tampa Bay Buccaneers shuffled their roster on Wednesday, claiming former Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Kevin Knowles II and waiving inside linebacker Caden Fordham in the corresponding move.
Knowles comes to Tampa Bay with special teams mileage already on his résumé. He appeared in 13 games for Kansas City last season, logging 231 snaps on special teams and 82 on defense. He finished the year with 15 combined tackles, two passes defended and one fumble recovered in 2025.
That experience should give the Buccaneers another option in the secondary while also bolstering the special teams group.
Fordham’s exit comes after a strong summer that had him in the mix for a spot on the initial 53-man roster. He earned that place, spoke about it after practice, and then was waived later in the evening.
"I couldn't be more blessed. It's been a dream of mine since I was young," Fordham said.
"Just putting in the work every day, coming off of injuries, just knowing at the end of the day, the good Lord [has] me and He [has] a plan for me. Being able to see it come into action now, I'm very blessed and excited for the opportunity."
Todd Bowles said Fordham impressed once the pads came on, noting the linebacker’s feel for the game and his ability to keep improving.
"Once we put the pads on…I mean, he's not the most athletic, but he is a good athlete. Once he put the pads on, just knowing where to be and striking linemen and making plays and being in the right spot every time. He wasn't getting fooled," Bowles said.
"He played well on [special] teams. He was just an instinctive, good football player. He got better every day and every week and he didn't make the same mistake twice, and he beat the rest of the guys out."
Jason Licht also praised Fordham’s instincts and production when asked what helped him crack the Buccaneers’ initial roster.
"You know, he's a very instinctive player. Every day, practice, games, [he was] making a lot of plays, [was] in the right spot," Licht said.
"He was, I think, the leading tackler in NCAA last year, and you don't do that by accident. I think he's got a really bright future, not only as a linebacker, but special teams, and [we're] putting a little emphasis on that."
If Fordham clears waivers, he is expected to return to Tampa Bay’s practice squad and remain in the organization.
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