With first-year tight end Tanner Taula on the active/non-football injury list due to a leg ailment, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers brought in a handful of players at the position for a tryout on Thursday. Sal Cannella, who most recently played for the Arlington Renegades in the UFL, will be sticking around.
The Buccaneers signed Cannella on Friday morning, giving them five healthy tight ends for training camp practices while Taula recovers. He joins Cade Otton, Ko Kieft, Payne Durham and David Wells. The Bucs did not have to make a corresponding roster cut because the move of outside linebacker Randy Gregory to the reserve/did not report list on Tuesday opened up a spot.
Cannella, who played his college ball at Auburn and was a teammate with Buccaneers linebacker K.J. Britt for three years, has spent time with the Dolphins, Packers and Seahawks but has yet to appear on an NFL roster. He has seen action in several other professional leagues, including the USFL (New Orleans Breakers), the XFL (Arlington Renegades) and UFL (Arlington Renegades). In his three seasons combined in those three leagues he amassed 129 catches for 1,280 yards and eight touchdowns.
In the most recent USFL season, Cannella hauled in 53 passes for 497 yards and a league-leading six touchdown catches. He also helped the Renegades win the XFL championship in 2023.
