The knee injury veteran guard Sua Opeta suffered in practice on Tuesday night will cost him the 2024 season. On Friday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers placed Opeta on injured reserve and used the vacated roster spot to sign rookie outside linebacker Jay Person.
Because he was placed on injured reserve prior to the final roster cutdown to 53 players, Opeta will not be eligible to return to the active roster in 2024. Prior to his injury he had been one of the main competitors for the open starting spot at left guard. The Buccaneers signed Opeta as an unrestricted free agent in March after he had played four seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, appearing in 38 games with 10 starts. He saw action at both right and left guard for the Eagles and made six starts last season, playing a total of 527 snaps for an offense that finished eighth in the NFL in both yards and points.
Ben Bredeson, another offseason free agent addition, has taken the majority of first-team snaps at left guard during training camp. Opeta's absence could mean more reps for Elijah Klein, a sixth-round draft pick out of UTEP.
Person, who played his college ball at Chattanooga, originally signed with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in May. He was released by New England midway through June. At Chattanooga, he was a two-time Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year and he earned first-team Associated Press All-America honors in each of the last two seasons. In 49 games (38 starts), he amassed 233 tackles, 56.0 tackles for loss, 27.0 sacks, nine forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. He gives the Buccaneers added depth in the edge rush group while Yaya Diaby is sidelined by an ankle injury.
