Buccaneers Reduce Roster To 53
The defending Super Bowl champs made a long list of moves today to get down to the 53-man roster limit. The Buccaneers made the following transactions:
Waived
- T Jake Benzinger
- WR Cyril Grayson
- S Javon Hagan
- OLB Ladarius Hamilton
- G Jonathan Hubbard
- TE Tanner Hudson
- WR Travis Jonsen
- TE Codey McElroy
- CB Herb Miller
- OLB Elijah Ponder
- DL Benning Potoa’e
- DL Kobe Smith
- T Brandon Walton
- CB Chris Wilcox
Waived/Injured
- T Brad Seaton
Released
- TE Jerell Adams
- QB Ryan Griffin
- CB Antonio Hamilton
- ILB Joe Jones
- DL Jeremiah Ledbetter
- WR Jaydon Mickens
- RB C.J. Prosise
Placed on reserve/PUP list
Griffin had been with the Buccaneers organization since the 2015 season, but he’s only seen time in a pair of games. After winning a ring last season, the veteran re-signed with the organization this offseason. For the time being, Blaine Gabbert and rookie Kyle Trask will serve as Tom Brady‘s backups.
Mickens is another notable cut, as the 27-year-old served as one of Tampa Bay’s primary return men in 2020. Mickens finished the campaign with 16 punt returns for 99 yards and 14 kick returns for 340 yards.
Buccaneers Waive Tanner Hudson
The Buccaneers are waiving tight end Tanner Hudson (Twitter link via Greg Auman of The Athletic). Hudson probably won’t be out of work for too long given his recent performances. Outside linebacker Elijah Ponder and tackle Jake Benzinger will also be among the Bucs’ cuts this week, per Auman.
Hudson shined in the Bucs’ first two preseason games, finishing as Tampa’s top receiver in both contests. Unfortunately for him, he was blocked by Rob Gronkowski, O.J. Howard, and Cameron Brate.
“Ever since we’ve been here, he’s been able to catch the ball. He gives our defense fits on the card (scout) team,” coach Bruce Arians said last week (via The Athletic). “When he’s had opportunities in ballgames, they haven’t been quite the same. I want to see him do something besides preseason, and something besides catch the ball. He’s not a wide receiver. He’s a tight end, so you’ve got to be able to block a little bit. Just see him grow in that regard and be a physical presence on special teams with his size and speed.”
Now, after two years in Tampa Bay, Hudson could be claimed by another TE-needy team this week. The Giants — who are awaiting word on Evan Engram and Kyle Rudolph — would be a logical landing spot.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/17/21
Tuesday afternoon marked the deadline for teams to cut down from 90 to 85 players. We’ll keep track of those cuts and the day’s other minor moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Claimed (from Packers): P Ryan Winslow
- Waived: P Tyler Newsome
Atlanta Falcons
- Released from IR via injury settlement: WR Jeff Badet
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: P Johnny Townsend
Carolina Panthers
- Waived/injured: LB Nate Hall, C Mike Panasiuk
- Placed on IR: CB Troy Pride Jr.; Pride suffered a torn ACL
Chicago Bears
- Released: WR Justin Hardy
- Waived: DB Michael Joseph, LB Ledarius Mack
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on IR: LB Anthony Hines, FB Sewo Olonilua, CB Reggie Robinson
- Waived: CB Kyron Brown, WR Brennan Eagles
Denver Broncos
- Signed: RB Adrian Killins
- Waived: DB Rojesterman Farris, LB Peter Kalambayi, DT Lorenzo Neal Jr.
- Waived/injured: WR DeVontres Dukes, RB LeVante Bellamy, DL Deyon Sizer
Detroit Lions
- Placed on IR: LB Shaun Dion Hamilton
- Signed: QB Jordan Ta’amu
- Waived: DT Michael Barnett
- Released from IR via injury settlement: WR Chad Hansen
Green Bay Packers
- Re-signed: QB Jake Dolegala
- Placed on IR: TE Isaac Nauta, WR DeAndre Thompkins
- Waived: OL Zack Johnson
Houston Texans
- Reverted to reserve/NFI: RB Dontrell Hilliard
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: LB Te’von Coney
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: LB David Bellamy
- Waived: QB K.J. Costello, TE Matt Seybert
Minnesota Vikings
- Waived: CB Amari Henderson
- Reverted to IR: K Riley Patterson, WR Blake Proehl
New England Patriots
- Waived/injured: TE Troy Fumagalli
New York Jets
- Placed on IR: OL Cameron Clark
- Waived: DL Michael Dwumfour, S Bennett Jackson, RB Austin Walter
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Waived: DL Abdullah Anderson, DB Stephen Denmark, WR Isaiah McKoy, K Sam Sloman, OT Brandon Walton
San Francisco 49ers
- Claimed (from Ravens): CB Davontae Harris
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: OL Jake Benzinger
- Placed on IR: G Sadarius Hutcherson
- Waived/failed physical: WR John Franklin III
- Waived/injured: G Donell Stanley
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: S Jamal Carter
- Placed on IR: DL Trevon Coley, S Tedric Thompson
Washington Football Team
- Waived: TE Nick Guggemos, CB Greg Stroman
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/12/21
Here are the latest NFL minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted: OL Jordan Devey
- Placed on IR: RB Zack Moss
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on IR: G Michael Dunn, CB Robert Jackson
Detroit Lions
- Claimed off waivers from Washington: LB Shaun Dion Hamilton
Green Bay Packers
- Placed on IR: G Simon Stepaniak
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed to reserve/futures contract: T Jake Benzinger, CB Anthony Chesley, T Elijah Nkansah
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: QB Anthony Gordon
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: LB Jachai Polite
Miami Dolphins
- Signed to reserve/futures contract: RB Jordan Scarlett
New York Jets
- Signed to reserve/futures contract: LB John Daka
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Waived: FB Trey Edmunds
Washington Football Team
- Signed to reserve/futures contract: DB DeMarkus Acy, DB Torry McTyer, DE Daniel Wise
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/3/20
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here. For the running list of opt out decisions, check out PFR’s 2020 Opt Out Tracker.
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: OL Jake Benzinger, S Reggie Floyd, WR Rashad Medaris
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: TE Jerell Adams
Cincinnati Bengals
- Released: WR Moritz Bohringer, RB Devwah Whaley
Cleveland Browns
- Released: RB Brian Herrien
Detroit Lions
- Claimed: DT Daylon Mack (from Ravens)
- Signed: DT Jashon Cornell
Green Bay Packers
- Released: QB Jalen Morton, FB Elijah Wellman
Las Vegas Raiders
- Released: DB Jordan Brown, TE Paul Butler, K Dominik Eberle, LB Marquel Lee, C Erik Magnuson, LB Liam McCullough, WR Anthony Ratliff-Williams
Miami Dolphins
- Claimed off waivers (from Colts): CB Picasso Nelson
Minnesota Vikings
- Waived: WR Davion Davis, DB Kemon Hall
New Orleans Saints
- Released: WR Tommylee Lewis, DE Gus Cumberlander, S Chris Johnson, OG Adrian Magee, RB Taquan Mizzell, WR Maurice Harris, DT Taylor Stallworth
New York Jets
- Waived: OL Ben Braden, RB Trenton Cannon, OLB Wyatt Ray
San Francisco 49ers
- Re-Signed: DE Alex Barrett
Seattle Seahawks
- Re-Signed: DE Branden Jackson
- Waived: DL Josh Avery
Tennessee Titans
- Re-signed: G Zac Kerin
Washington Football Team
- Released: DE Cameron Malveaux, DB Maurice Smith, TE Caleb Wilson, RB Josh Ferguson