Jude Adjei-Barimah didn't get an invite from the NFL until just before the league-wide start of training camp, but now he's made it all the way to a regular-season active roster.
PREVIEW: BUCCANEERS VS. PANTHERS
On Saturday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Adjei-Barimah from their own practice squad to the 53-man roster, restoring depth to a position that will likely be without starter Johnthan Banks when the Buccaneers take on Carolina on Sunday. To make room on the roster, the team waived tackle Reid Fragel.
Banks was listed as doubtful on Friday's official injury report, which means he is almost certain to sit out the team's Week Four clash with the Panthers, barring an upgrade on Saturday. He suffered a knee injury last Sunday in Houston and did not participate in any practices this week.
The 5-11, 200-pound Adjei-Barimah played four seasons at Bowling Green, appearing in 52 games with 20 starts and contributing 150 tackles, five interceptions and 2.5 sacks. He also broke up 26 passes and forced three fumbles, with career highs of 12 and two, respectively, as a senior last fall. He wasn't immediately signed by an NFL team after going undrafted in the spring, but he did have a tryout with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Adjei-Barimah joined the Bucs on July 29, just before the team was set to open training camp. He made it to the final round of cuts but was waived on September 5, joining the team's practice squad a few days later. He remained on that 10-man crew until his promotion on Saturday. If he plays in Sunday's game, Adjei-Barimah will be the seventh rookie to see action for the Buccaneers so far in 2015, joining quarterback Jameis Winston, tackle Donovan Smith, guard Ali Marpet, linebacker Kwon Alexander, wide receiver Adam Humphries and kicker Kyle Brindza.
Like Adjei-Barimah, Fragel had been promoted from the practice squad earlier in the week. The subsequent move on Saturday is a reflection of how the injury report developed over the course of the week. While Banks remained sidelined, Smith, the team's starting left tackle, progressed to the point that he was a full participant in practice on Friday. Smith remains questionable for Sunday's game, however.
