The Buccaneers' 53-Man roster.
3 - QB Jameis Winston
4 - QB Ryan Griffin
8 - QB Mike Glennon
9 - P Bryan Anger
10 WR Cecil Shorts
11 - WR Adam Humphries
13 - WR Mike Evans
19 - K Roberto Aquayo
21 - CB Alterraun Verner
22 - RB Doug Martin
23 - S Chris Conte
24 - CB Brent Grimes
26 - CB Josh Robinson
27 - CB Johnthan Banks
28 - CB Vernon Hargreaves
29 - DB Ryan Smith
30 - S Bradley McDougald
32 RB Jacquizz Rodgers
36 RB Antone Smith
37 - S Keith Tandy
38 - CB Jude Adjei-Barimah
43 RB Peyton Barber
45 TE Alan Cross
48 - LS Andrew DePaola
51 - LB Daryl Smith
52- LB Cameron Lynch
53 - LB Adarius Glanton
54 - LB Lavonte David
57 - DE Noah Spence
58 - LB Kwon Alexander
62 - OL Evan Smith
64 - OL Kevin Pamphile
66 - OT Leonard Wester
67 DT John Hughes III
68 - C Joe Hawley
69 - OT Demar Dotson
71 - DE Channing Ward
74 - G Ali Marpet
75 - DT DaVonte Lambert
76 - OT Donovan Smith
77 - OL Caleb Benenoch
78 - OT Gosder Cherilus
82 - TE Brandon Myers
83 - WR Vincent Jackson
84 - TE Cameron Brate
88 - TE Luke Stocker
89 - WR Russell Shepard
91 - DE Robert Ayers
92 - DE William Gholston
93 - DT Gerald McCoy
95 - DE Howard Jones
97 - DT Akeem Spence
98 - DT Clinton McDonald
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have found a home for some of the promising players they had to cut on Saturday.
On Sunday, the Buccaneers announced the signing of eight players to the first iteration of their practice squad: running backs Peyton Barber and Russell Hansbrough, offensive linemen Josh Allen and Ben Gottschalk, wide receiver Freddie Martino, linebacker Josh Keyes, cornerback Javien Elliott and safety Isaiah Johnson. The Bucs have also agreed to practice squad terms with linebacker Micah Awe and wide receiver Jeremy Butler.
READ: Bucs Trim Roster to 53
That's all 10 spots the Bucs had to fill, most of them now occupied by players who just went through training camp and the preseason with the team. In fact, Butler, who was waived by the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday, is the lone newcomer, but his signing still represents a homecoming of sorts. A Sarasota native, he starred at Booker High School before heading to the College of the Sequoias and then the University of Tennessee-Martin. The Ravens signed Butler as an undrafted free agent in 2014, though he spent his rookie season on injured reserve. Last year, Butler played in eight games and caught 31 passes for 363 yards.
Martino also has some regular-season experience, having played in one game for the Atlanta Falcons during his 2014 rookie campaign. He spent all of last season on the Philadelphia Eagles' practice squad.
Pictures of the Buccaneers during the 2016 preseason games.
28 CB Vernon Hargreaves
93 DT Gerald McCoy
3 QB Jameis Winston
Buccaneers vs. Eagles
3 QB Jameis Winston
98 DT Clinton McDonald
54 LB Lavonte David and #23 S Chris Conte
95 DE Howard Jones and #91 DE Robert Ayers
Head Coach Dirk Koetter
74 G Ali Marpet and #22 RB Doug Martin
Head Coach Dirk Koetter
3 QB Jameis Winston
68 C Joe Hawley
13 WR Mike Evans and #3 QB Jameis Winston
3 QB Jameis Winston
25 RB Mike James
98 DT Clinton McDonald
97 DT Akeem Spence
3 QB Jameis Winston
Buccaneers vs. Jaguars
54 LB Lavonte David
34 RB Charles Sims
28 CB Vernon Hargreaves
13 WR Mike Evans
24 CB Brent Grimes
29 DB Ryan Smith
83 WR Vincent Jackson, #98 DT Clinton McDonald, #88 TE Luke Stocker, #58 LB Kwon Alexander, and #37 S Keith Tandy
3 QB Jameis Winston
24 CB Brent Grimes
3 QB Jameis Winston
23 S Chris Conte and #30 S Bradley McDougald
85 WR Evan Spencer
87 TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins
83 WR Vincent Jackson
22 RB Doug Martin
34 RB Charles Sims
11 WR Adam Humphries
27 CB Johnthan Banks
3 QB Jameis Winston
13 WR Mike Evans
8 QB Mike Glennon
76 OT Donovan Smith and #13 WR Mike Evans
34 RB Charles Sims, #87 TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins, and #76 OT Donovan Smith
11 WR Adam Humphries
13 WR Mike Evans
93 DT Gerald McCoy and #58 LB Kwon Alexander
13 WR Mike Evans
58 LB Kwon Alexander
13 WR Mike Evans
3 QB Jameis Winston
Head Coach Dirk Koetter
3 QB Jameis Winston
11 WR Adam Humphries
58 LB Kwon Alexander
13 WR Mike Evans
58 LB Kwon Alexander
23 S Chris Conte
37 S Keith Tandy
8 QB Mike Glennon
4 QB Ryan Griffin
8 QB Mike Glennon
29 DB Ryan Smith
4 QB Ryan Griffin
Barber and Hansbrough were the Bucs' two leading rushers during the 2016 preseason as the battle for the third running back spot behind Doug Martin and Charles Sims came down to the wire. The team eventually stuck with fourth-year veteran Mike James in that role but obviously saw potential in the two undrafted rookies out of Alabama and Missouri, respectively. Barber ran 39 times for 99 yards in the four preseason games and also added seven receptions for 55 yards. Hansbrough logged 22 carries for 50 yards and seven catches for 32 yards.
Allen, Gottschalk and Keyes were all with the Buccaneers in 2015, with the two linemen spending all of their time on the practice squad. Keyes started his rookie season on the Bucs' practice squad, too, but eventually earned a promotion to the active roster where he played in seven games, primarily on special teams. Allen and Gottschalk started Tampa Bay's preseason finale against Washington last Wednesday, and Allen also opened the previous contest against Cleveland, drawing praise for his play from Head Coach Dirk Koetter. Both linemen are capable of playing center and guard.
Awe, Elliott and Johnson are all undrafted rookies. A former walk-on at Florida State who played just one season for the Seminoles, Elliott wasn't signed until shortly before the start of training camp. He recorded two tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass defensed during the preseason while Johnson, a former Notre Dame standout contributed four tackles, one interception and one pass defensed. Awe, who played his college ball at Texas Tech, had five preseason tackles and a quarterback pressure, plus a stop on special teams.
Practice squad players are not eligible to play in games unless they are first signed to the active roster, and they can be signed away at any time to the active roster of another club. As the name suggests, they can practice during the week, which helps teams fill out their scout teams. The practice squad is often also an important stepping stone for players on their way to more permanent spots in the NFL.
Last year, 15 different Buccaneer players saw time on the active roster after toiling on the practice squad: Keyes, Jude Adjei-Barimah, Cameron Brate, Kourtnei Brown, Donteea Dye, Darius Eubanks, Reid Fragel, Adam Humphries, Mike James, Howard Jones, Orie Lemon, Kimario McFadden, Josh Shirley, Evan Spencer and Tevin Westbrook. (Brown, Humphries, Lemon and McFadden were also on the 53-man roster before their practice squad stints.) Adjei-Barimah, Brate, Humphries, James, Jones and Spencer are all now on the 53-man roster to start the 2016 season.
