Tampa Bay Buccaneers News & Rumors

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/14/25

Today’s practice squad moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

  • Signed: G Karsen Barnhart, LB Garrett Nelson

Green Bay Packers

  • Released: K Mark McNamee

Indianapolis Colts

  • Signed: OT Bayron Matos, QB Brett Rypien
  • Released: OT Marcellus Johnson

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

New England Patriots

  • Signed: TE Marshall Lang
  • Released: DB Tyron Herring, TE Gee Scott Jr.

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

  • Released: G Tyler Cooper

With Anthony Richardson heading to injured reserve with an eye injury, the Colts are set to add some QB depth in veteran Brett Rypien, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The 29-year-old brings four games of starting experience to Indy, with his most recent start coming with the Rams in 2023. In total, Rypien has completed 58.3 percent of his career passes for 950 yards, four touchdowns, and nine interceptions. Riley Leonard will temporarily be the QB2 behind Daniel Jones, but there’s a chance Rypien eventually works his way up to the active roster.

The Chargers moved on from a notable edge defender today in Clelin Ferrell. The former Raiders first-round pick started all 17 games for the 49ers just two years ago, with the edge rusher finishing that campaign with 3.5 sacks and 13 QB hits. He started 10 of his 14 appearances with the Commanders in 2024, adding another 3.5 sacks to his resume. After being among Washington’s final preseason cuts, Ferrell caught on with the Chargers practice squad and ended up getting into one game with the big-league club.

The Eagles moved on from a pair of skill players today. Audric Estime was a fifth-round pick by the Broncos last year, with the running back compiling 337 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns on 81 touches. He was waived by Denver back in August and landed on Philly’s practice squad. Javon Baker was a fourth-round pick by the Patriots in last year’s draft, but he was limited to a single catch in 11 games.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/11/25

Here are the minor moves and standard gameday practice squad elevations heading into the sixth Sunday of the NFL season:

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Manu was ruled out for this week with a knee injury after making the first start of his career with Detroit. Unfortunately, he’ll miss the team’s next three games, as well, after being placed on injured reserve.

Wright will fill in as placekicker for the Titans in Week 6. Regular kicker Joey Slye has been ruled out with a calf injury after missing practice all week.

Avery in Cleveland and Walton in Carolina are both being called up as standard gameday practice squad elevations for the third time this year. If either of their respective teams want them to be active for another game, they will need to sign them to the 53-man roster.

Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving Out For Week 6, Potentially Longer

Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving was ruled out for Week 6, per ESPN’s Jenna Laine. According to her colleague Dan Graziano, Irving may be at risk of missing Week 7 as well.

The second-year running back did not play in Tampa Bay’s last game due to a foot sprain and a shoulder injury that was later revealed to be a subluxation, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Both injuries are expected to heal in two to three weeks, per FOX Sports’ Rick Stroud.

Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said (via FOX Sports’ Greg Auman) on Wednesday that Irving is “getting better by the day,” but did not set any expectations for a speedy return. He will likely need to return to practice next week to have a shot at playing in the team’s next game.

Tampa Bay will be more than comfortable turning to Rachaad White and Sean Tucker in the meantime. White has not turned out to be an especially dynamic rusher, but he is among the best pass-catching backs in the league. Tucker flashed with 308 yards on 50 carries (6.2 yards per carry) in 2024 but has just four attempts so far this year. Both should see plenty of touches as long as Irving is out. He was only averaging 3.3 yards per attempt when healthy, so White and Tucker could make strong arguments for their involvement for the rest of the year.

Undrafted rookie running back Josh Williams could have seen his first offensive touches in Irving’s absence, but he entered concussion protocol after Thursday’s practice and was also ruled out for Sunday’s game.

The Buccaneers are dealing with a number of other injuries at other positions. Pro Bowl wide receivers Chris Godwin and Mike Evans were ruled out, as were cornerbacks Zyon McCollum and Benjamin Morrison. Bowles said (via team writer Scott Smith) that McCollum played through a thumb injury in Week 5 and had a minor procedure this week. He was seen by Auman sporting a cast and a sling at practice. Morrison has not played since Week 3 due to a hamstring injury and may not be close to returning.

The secondary will have veteran Jamel Dean back in Week 6 after a one-game absence due to a hip injury. He was taken off the injury report entirely and should be full-go on Sunday.

Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin Ruled Out With New Leg Injury

Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin gave fans (and fantasy owners) a scare when he popped up on the injury report this week with a fibula injury.

Godwin’s season-ending ankle injury in 2024 also included a fibula fracture, so there was some concern that the veteran wideout had suffered a setback after returning to the field in Weeks 4 and 5. However, Godwin’s injury in a different area of the fibula than last year’s fracture, per FOX Sports’ Rick Stroud. He is considered week-to-week and is not expected to land on injured reserve, which would mandate a four-game absence.

The Buccaneers did rule out Godwin for Week 6 (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter) along with Mike Evans. The two have not shared the field this season, with Godwin missing the first three games and Evans missing the last two. They will both be sidelined, which will likely elevate Sterling Shepard into a starting role and increase opportunities for Ryan Miller and Tez Johnson. The absence of running back Bucky Irving, the team’s second-leading pass-catcher, will also have an impact, but backup Rachaad White has been an excellent receiving back in his career.

Of course, Tampa Bay’s passing game will still be heavily reliant on rookie wideout Emeka Egbuka, who has racked up 445 receiving yards in his first five games, more than one-third of the team’s total for the season. The Buccaneers hoped that he could combine with their Pro Bowl veterans to form one of the league’s best receiver trios, but they will have to wait at least one more week to see all three on the field together.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/7/25

Today’s practice squad moves in the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Dallas Cowboys

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Buccaneers Work Out CBs Arthur Maulet, Duke Shelley

Amid a rash of injuries in their secondary, the Buccaneers worked out veteran cornerbacks Arthur Maulet and Duke Shelley on Friday, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson.

Jamel Dean, Benjamin Morrison, and Christian Izien were all ruled out for Sunday’s matchup with the Seahawks, leaving Tampa Bay without their No. 1 and No. 3 outside cornerbacks as well as key slot and special teams depth in Izien.

Working out Maulet and Shelley would appear to be a response to Izien’s quad injury more than anything else. Maulet and Shelley have extensive experience at nickel, where Izien has played majority of his career snaps, and they both could fill his role on special teams as well.

Maulet, a former UDFA out of Memphis, has spent two seasons each with the Jets, Steelers, and Ravens over the last six years. He was coming off a solid debut season in Baltimore when a knee injury in training camp sidelined him for most of the 2024 season. The Ravens released him as a cap casualty this offseason and he relocated to Houston, but could not make their regular-season roster.

Shelley is a six-year veteran with only 11 starts to his name. He only played 14 snaps in his sole appearance for the Giants in 2024 and only played 86 defensive snaps for the Rams the year before that. Shelley signed with the Colts before training camp but was released during final roster cuts.

A Friday workout, of course, is too late to add depth for Sunday’s game, but the Buccaneers’ coaching staff was able to evaluate the two veteran corners to help inform their decisions coming out of Week 5.

Bucs RB Bucky Irving Battling Foot Sprain

OCTOBER 3: Irving will miss the Buccaneers’ Week 5 matchup with the Seahawks; the team ruled him out. He missed practice all week and is at risk of being sidelined for the team’s Week 6 contest as well, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

OCTOBER 2: One of the NFL’s biggest running back success stories in recent years, Bucky Irving commandeered the Buccaneers’ starting job last year and entered this season as the unquestioned leader of the team’s backfield. Irving delivered a strong performance in Tampa Bay’s narrow loss to Philadelphia in Week 4.

Irving came out of that game worse for wear, however, and is battling two injuries. Suiting up for Week 5 will be an uphill battle for the second-year player, as NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport indicate the player is gathering medical options on an injury ESPN’s Adam Schefter later labeled a foot sprain. Although Irving came out of Sunday’s game with a shoulder malady as well, the foot issue is the one that would stand to impede a return against the Seahawks.

The former fourth-round pick was spotted on crutches and with a walking boot on his injured left foot, per the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud, while Todd Bowles said the boot will need to be shed by Friday if he is to consider deploying his starter against the Seahawks. IR does not appear a consideration just yet, with Irving labeled day-to-day, but gathering medical opinions and an ultimatum on a walking boot do not present positive signs for the RB’s Week 5 availability.

This creates an issue for the Bucs, who have seen Irving become a regular producer since he usurped Rachaad White in the backfield. The team is also already without offensive regulars Mike Evans, Luke Goedeke, Cody Mauch and Jalen McMillan.

Joining Bo Nix in transferring to Oregon in 2022, Irving landed in Tampa after his Day 3 draft arrival. Despite mid-round status, the ex-Minnesota recruit impressed with a 1,122-yard rushing season as a rookie. Irving also added 392 receiving yards, becoming an all-around option for Baker Mayfield. Irving managed 1,514 scrimmage yards despite starting only three 2024 games. Only Alvin Kamara (1,554) tops that among rookies with three or fewer starts throughout NFL history.

Irving also managed this with a 5-foot-10, 195-pound frame. His size created moderate concern about durability, but the Bucs gave him 254 touches last season. He has impressed in Year 2, totaling 430 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns. One of those came on a 72-yard toss from Mayfield against the Eagles.

If Irving cannot go, White looms as the next man up. The Bucs’ starter in 2023 and for most of 2024, White is in a contract year and likely to depart — thanks to Irving’s emergence — in 2026. Though, the Bucs sure have displayed a penchant for re-signing their own in recent years, potentially not shutting the door on White staying. White is averaging an impressive 4.7 yards per carry, but that has come on 23 totes compared to Irving’s 71. The Bucs have given Irving at least 20 touches in three straight games. Sean Tucker, a third-year UDFA, would be White’s backup/change-of-pace option if Irving sits.

NFL Minor Transactions: 9/30/25

Today’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Las Vegas Raiders

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Bucs’ Tristan Wirfs, Chris Godwin Expected To Return In Week 4

SEPTEMBER 27: Wirfs hinted that he would take the field in Week 4 with a social media post, per ESPN’s Jenna Laine, while her colleague Adam Schefter confirms that Wirfs, Godwin, and Baker Mayfield should all play. Mayfield has been dealing with a biceps injury,, but participated in practice every day this week.

SEPTEMBER 26: The Buccaneers offense is expected to get a major boost in Week 4 with both left tackle Tristan Wirfs and wide receiver Chris Godwin on track to make their 2025 debuts.

Godwin practiced in full on Wednesday, had a planned rest day on Thursday, and returned to the field on Friday, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Wirfs had been limited for the last few weeks before an upgrade to full participation on Thursday. Both are officially listed as questionable for Sunday’s matchup with the Eagles.

Godwin is coming off a season-ending ankle injury in 2024, while Wirfs underwent knee surgery in July. Tampa Bay opted not to place either on the physically unable to perform list to start the season, allowing them to ramp up over the first three weeks. Had they been on the PUP list, they would have been ineligible to practice until after Week 4 and would likely need a few more weeks to be game-ready.

Both returns couldn’t come at a better time for a Buccaneers offense that is dealing with injuries at wide receiver and along their offensive line. Mike Evans went down with a hamstring injury in Week 3 and will miss multiple games, while Tampa Bay has already started eight different offensive linemen this season. RG Cody Mauch and RT Luke Goedeke are on injured reserve, which has brought Luke Haggard and Charlie Heck into the starting lineup.

Godwin may still be on a snap count when he returns, but this is Wirfs’ third week of practice, which could position him to assume a full-time role right away. The Buccaneers could then move Graham Barton to center and Ben Bredeson to left guard, per Stroud, getting multiple players back to their natural positions.

Buccaneers DT Calijah Kancey Underwent Surgery, Could Return In Playoffs

Buccaneers defensive tackle Calijah Kancey is expected to miss the rest of the regular season due to a pectoral injury, but he has a chance of returning in the playoffs if Tampa Bay advances past the first round, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Kancey underwent successful surgery on Monday for what has been reported as a pectoral tear, according to FOX Sports’ Greg Auman. Offering a somewhat murkier timetable, Auman notes it is “too early in the recovery process to know whether he could make any kind of return this season if the Bucs had an extended playoff run.”

The Buccaneers were hoping that the 2023 first-rounder could take another step forward after his second-year leap to 7.5 sacks. Instead, he will miss virtually all of his third season, but he could still be an impactful postseason addition to the defense if his recovery goes smoothly.

Veteran defensive tackle Greg Gaines saw an uptick in snaps in Week 3 after Kancey was placed on injured reserve, as did rookie Elijah Roberts. UDFA Elijah Simmons made his NFL debut against the Jets and will factor into the rotation moving forward. Practice squad DT C.J. Brewer was also promoted to the active roster on Tuesday to provide more depth.

The Buccaneers seem confident in their young defensive linemen to fill the void left by Kancey’s absence, but upcoming matchups with the Eagles and Lions, two teams with strong offensive lines, will offer a significant challenge. If Tampa Bay struggles as Baltimore did against Detroit on Monday night, they could be in the market for a D-line addition by the trade deadline.