Jason Pierre-Paul Cleared For Rehab Activites
Buccaneers DE Jason Pierre-Paul has been cleared by team and independent doctors to resume rehab activities, as Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network tweets. JPP still has a ways to go before he’s cleared to play, but this is obviously great news.
Pierre-Paul was involved in a one-car accident in early May and suffered a fractured vertebra. The fact that he was able to avoid surgery left open the possibility that he could play in 2019, though it sounded as if October would be the earliest he could see the field, and a November or December return seemed more likely.
That still may be the case, but at least things are trending in the right direction. As Jenna Laine of ESPN.com observes (via Twitter), JPP was on the practice field today and was not in the bulky neck brace that he had been in.
The Bucs are not a favorite to make the playoffs, and if Tampa Bay is out of contention by the time Pierre-Paul is ready to return, the club may elect to keep him sidelined for the whole year. But if there is even a glimmer of hope, adding the two-time Pro Bowler would be a major boost to the Bucs’ defensive front.
Pierre-Paul notched 12.5 sacks in 2018, his first season in Tampa Bay, and reestablished himself as a legitimate force to be reckoned with coming off the edge.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/24/19
Today’s minor moves:
Green Bay Packers
- Released: RB Darrin Hall
Houston Texans
- Released from IR with injury settlement: CB Jermaine Kelly
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: QB Vincent Testaverde
- Waived/Injured: OLB Kahzin Daniels
No "Long-Term Injury" For Blaine Gabbert
We heard earlier today that Buccaneers backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert had dislocated his non-throwing shoulder during last night’s preseason win over the Eagles. Fortunately, it doesn’t sound like the veteran will be out for an extended amount of time. Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times tweets that it isn’t expected to be a long-term injury.
While Gabbert may not be sidelined for all that long, the team is still eyeing some reinforcement at the position. ESPN’s Jenna Laine tweets that the Buccaneers have looked at signing Vincent Testaverde. The 23-year-old had spent the early parts of camp with Tampa Bay, and his head start on the offensive playbook could give him an edge over other free agent quarterbacks. Besides starter Jameis Winston, the only other healthy quarterback on the roster is undrafted rookie Nick Fitzgerald.
Bucs QB Blaine Gabbert Dislocates Shoulder
It sounds like the Buccaneers may need another quarterback. Coach Bruce Arians said that backup signal-caller Blaine Gabbert dislocated his non-throwing shoulder during last night’s preseason win (via The Athletic’s Greg Auman on Twitter). ESPN’s Jenna Laine tweets that it’s not yet known if Gabbert will need surgery.
Arians also added that the team could end up signing another quarterback (via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times on Twitter), although the head coach acknowledged that he’s very content rolling with Ryan Griffin as Jameis Winston‘s primary backup.
“More than comfortable,” Arians said. “He’s proven with some of the guys he’s playing with, directing them, poise. He’s moved our team up and down the field, just like he did again tonight.”
The Buccaneers signed Gabbert back in March, and his addition was partly attributed to his familiarity with Arians’ offense. The 29-year-old got into eight games (three) starts last season for the Titans, completing 60.4-percent of his passes for 626 yards, four touchdowns, and four interceptions. He previously teamed up with Arians in Arizona, including a 2017 campaign where he started five games.
As Arians mentioned, the team is comfortable having Griffin as Winston’s main backup, and the former undrafted free agent proved his worth last night. Griffin finished last night’s game having completed 11 of his 17 passes for 121 yards and one score.
More Minor NFL Transactions: 8/21/19
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: P Sean Smith
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: LB Brandon Bell, OL Tyler Catalina
- Placed on injured reserve: LB Jonathan Celestin, G Norman Price
Cleveland Browns
- Claimed off waivers: S Montrel Meander
- Placed on injured reserve: WR D.J. Montgomery
Denver Broncos
- Waived/injured: LB Aaron Wallace
New York Giants
- Waived: WR Da’Mari Scott
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: OL Andrew Lauderdale, S Tyree Robinson
- Waived: OL Christian DiLauro, WR Shawn Poindexter, RB Brandon Wilds
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: DT Elijah Qualls
- Waived/injured: DT Shane Bowman
Bucs Signed Jason Licht To Five-Year Extension
Buccaneers GM Jason Licht isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. According to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, the executive inked a five-year contract extension with the franchise this offseason.
The deal, which wasn’t reported until now, was signed in January just days after the team made Bruce Arians its head coach. Arians and Licht have been good friends for quite some time and Arians likely wouldn’t have joined Tampa Bay if not for their relationship. Arians’ deal is also for five seasons, so the Bucs have tethered the pair’s future together.
Tampa Bay hasn’t been great since Licht took over back in 2014. The team is 27-53 in the five seasons since he took the GM gig with poor defense and inconsistent quarterback play plaguing the team.
Arians is expected to help with the quarterback issues. He’s helped get the best out of a number of quarterbacks, including Andrew Luck and Carson Palmer. The defense is another story, as the Bucs finished dead last in defensive DVOA last year and didn’t make any major moves this offseason to improve their putrid pass rush.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/15/19
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: DT Elijah Qualls
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: OL Demetrius Rhaney, DT Roderick Young
- Placed on injured reserve: DT Robert Thomas
- Waived: OL Nico Siragusa
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: DT Tracy Sprinkle, C John Yarbrough
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: TE Carson Meier
- Waived/injured: RB Roc Thomas
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: TE Micky Crum, LB Christian Kuntz
- Waived: LB J.T. Jones, CB Jermaine Ponder
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: TE Brandon Barnes
- Waived: CB Isaiah Langley
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: DT Shane Bowman
- Placed on injured reserve: WR Bryant Mitchell
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB James Folston
- Waived/injured: LB Jordan Williams
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/14/19
Here are today’s minor moves, which will be updated throughout the night:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Claimed: DE Dare Odeyingbo
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: TE Ben Johnson
- Waived: LB Josh Corcoran
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: LB Drew Lewis
New York Giants
- Signed: DB Terrell Sinkfield
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived off IR: CB Davante Davis
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Claimed: WR Emanuel Hall
- Waived: S Micah Abernathy
Buccaneers CFL Import WR Tears Achilles
- Buccaneers wide receiver Bryant Mitchell was not as fortunate. He suffered a torn left Achilles’ tendon in the team’s preseason opener, Greg Auman of The Athletic tweets. A three-year Edmonton Eskimo, who posted 867 receiving yards in 2018, Mitchell caught on with the Bucs in May.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/13/19
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves, with the list being updated throughout the night.
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: P Sean Smith
Chicago Bears
- Waived: WR Emanuel Hall
Cincinnati Bengals
- Waived: T Kent Perkins
Green Bay Packers
- Waived/failed physical: CB Derrick Jones
Los Angeles Chargers
- Waived: LB Josh Corcoran
New York Giants
- Signed: TE Jake Powell
- Placed on IR: WR Amba Etta-Tawo
- Waived: DE Alex Jenkins
- Waived/injured: TE Isaiah Searight
New York Jets
- Waived: TE Nick Truesdell
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: DT Aziz Shittu
- Waived/injured: S Blake Countess
- Reverts to IR: WR Shelton Gibson
Seattle Seahawks
- Released from IR: TE Tyrone Swoopes
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: DE Dare Odeyingbo