The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have re-signed linebacker Orie Lemon, filling a roster spot opened on Tuesday when linebacker James-Michael Johnson was waived/injured.
The Buccaneers also trimmed three players from their 10-man practice squad on Tuesday, setting up a trio of signings on Wednesday. One spot went to cornerback Isaiah Frey, who spent 10 weeks on Tampa Bay's active roster last year. Another was taken by third-year safety Julian Stanford, most recently of the Detroit Lions, and the last went to rookie defensive tackle Derrick Lott, who went to camp with the Tennessee Titans.
Lemon went to training camp with the Buccaneers but was released on August 28. After the league-wide roster cutdown to 53 players on September 6, the Bucs used the subsequent waiver wire to fill out their linebacker depth, claiming Johnson and Jeremiah George. However, Johnson was injured in the season opener and the team has turned back to a player familiar with their defensive and special teams playbooks. Lemon first joined the team last October when he was plucked off Kansas City's practice squad; he went on to play in 10 games with three starts at strongside linebacker, recording 17 tackles, five tackles for loss and six stops in kick coverage.
Originally an undrafted free agent signing with the Dallas Cowboys out of Oklahoma State in 2011, Lemon played parts of three seasons for the Cowboys, getting into eight games. His return keeps the Buccaneers' linebacking corps at six players.
Check out behind-the-scenes photos from the Buccaneers' game against the Titans at Raymond James Stadium.
Frey (6-0, 190) played for the Chicago Bears before coming to Tampa, beginning his career as sixth-round draft pick under then-Bears Head Coach Lovie Smith in 2012. He played in all 16 games in 2013 and started six, contributing 47 tackles.
Stanford (6-1, 230) played his college ball at Wagner and came into the NFL in 2012 as an undrafted free agent with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He started six of the 16 games in which he played as a rookie but then spent the 2013 and 2014 seasons in Detroit, appearing in 18 total contests. His career totals include 22 tackles and a fumble recovery.
Lott (6-4, 314) signed with the Titans as a rookie free agent out of Tennessee-Chattanooga but was eventually released on September 1. He had an impressive performance at the 2015 East-West Shrine Game following a 6.5-sack campaign at Tennessee-Chattanooga in 2014. He possesses an intriguing size-speed combination, which was put on display when he covered kickoffs for the East team in the Shrine Game.
