The first position being tested by injuries on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 2024 roster is the defensive line. On Thursday, the Buccaneers placed second-year defender Earnest Brown on injured reserve due to a ribs injury he suffered in practice on Wednesday. He will have to miss a minimum of four games before being eligible to return to the active roster.
With Logan Hall also being held out of practice due to a foot injury, the Bucs bolstered their defensive line on Thursday by signing Ben Stille off the Arizona Cardinals' practice squad. Originally an undrafted free agent with the Miami Dolphins in 2022, Stille has played in 12 regular season NFL games, with one start.
Brown was one of the surprise stories of training camp, earning a spot on the 53-man roster despite only signing with the team in May. He beat out Mike Greene and C.J. Brewer, who both then signed with Tampa Bay's practice squad and would be eligible to be elevated for Sunday's season-opening game against Washington if needed. A fifth-round draft pick by the Los Angeles Rams in 2022, Brown has also played in 12 regular season games, starting three.
Stille started his rookie season on Miami's practice squad and played in one game for the Dolphins after being a game-day elevation. He was then signed off that unit to the Cleveland Browns' active roster and appeared in six more games with one start. Last season, he played in five games for the Cardinals after being claimed off waivers from Cleveland in May. Stille's career totals include 13 tackles, one sack and two quarterback hits.
