The Tampa Bay Buccaneers activated defensive linemen C.J. Brewer and Mike Greene from the practice squad on Saturday, making both players eligible to play in Sunday's road game against the Detroit Lions.
The NFL introduced the practice squad elevation option in 2020, allowing teams to activate up to two practice squad players for each game. By utilizing both options in Week One, the Buccaneers have increased their game day roster to 55 players for their Week Two matchup with the Lions. They will be able to keep 48 of those player active for the game, naming seven inactives prior to kickoff.
Each player on the practice squad can be elevated up to three times during the regular season and an unlimited amount of times in the postseason. After the game, elevated players automatically revert to the practice squad without having to pass through waivers.
This is the second straight week that Brewer and Greene have been called up, as the Buccaneers have experienced a rash of injuries on defense. Starting defensive lineman Calijah Kancey has already been ruled out for Sunday's game due to a calf injury and fellow starter Logan Hall is considered questionable for the game due to a foot injury. Both Kancey and Hall also missed the team's season-opening win over Washington, and Brewer and Green filled in with a combined 42 snaps on defense.
The practice squad elevation option was introduced as part of the new collective bargaining agreement in 2020. The new rule was something of a compromise, as it did not expand the active rosters beyond 53 players but did give teams a few more options on game days.
