- On Tuesday, the Bucs released CB D.J. Moore, who was thought to be a competitor for the nickel back job in 2014
- Tampa Bay also signed first-year T J.B. Shugarts, who has seen time with the Browns, Cowboys, Jets and Lions
- Rookie LB Jeremy Grable, an undrafted free agent from Valdosta State, joined the Bucs on Tuesday, as well
With the start of training camp just days away, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made a trio of roster moves on Tuesday.
The Buccaneers signed two players: first-year offensive tackle J.B. Shugarts and rookie linebacker Jeremy Grable. Though the team had two open spots on the 90-man roster they can take to camp, they also released sixth-year veteran cornerback D.J. Moore to put their list at 89. Buccaneer players report for training camp on Thursday morning and will conduct their first practice on Friday afternoon.
Moore was thought to be a viable candidate for the nickel back job but will now be looking for a new NFL landing spot after playing five previous seasons for the Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers. He signed with the Buccaneers on February 14, reuniting him with Lovie Smith, his head coach with the Bears from 2009-12.
Shugarts and Grable will get the chance to go to camp with the Buccaneers, though their paths to Tuesday's signings differed significantly. Shugarts expected to be attending training camp with the Detroit Lions until his release just four days ago. Grable, on the other hand, is signing with an NFL team for the first time after playing four seasons at FCS school Valdosta State.
Shugarts, who played his college football at Ohio State, first entered the NFL in 2012 as an undrafted free agent with the Cleveland Browns. He saw brief stints on the practice squads in Cleveland and Buffalo as a rookie and then signed with the Dallas Cowboys in May of last year. After splitting the 2013 preseason between Dallas and the New York Jets, he once again had a short practice squad stay, this time with the Jets. The Lions signed him April this offseason but released him last Friday. A three-year starter at right tackle for the Buckeyes, Shugarts appeared in 44 games over four years at Ohio State, starting 35 of them.
CB D.J. Moore played five seasons in Chicago and Carolina before signing with the Buccaneers in February
Grable played four seasons at Valdosta State and racked up 259 tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss and four fumble recoveries. As a team captain for the Blazers last fall he finished second on the team with 88 stops. Born in Anchorage, Alaska he played his high school football in Milton, Georgia.
