The Tampa Bay Buccaneers continue their near-weekly roster tinkering as necessitated by new players landing on the injury report from game to game. On Tuesday, the team announced that it had waived linebacker Orie Lemon and safety D.J. Swearinger from the active roster and released safety Akeem Davis and linebacker Quayshawn Nealy from the practice squad.
That leaves two open spots on each crew which will almost certainly be filled prior to the team's first practice of the week on Wednesday. The positions of the players added will provide some evidence as to where on the depth chart the team is experiencing shortages due to injury. Six players – Swearinger, wide receiver Vincent Jackson, guard Ali Marpet, tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, defensive end Jacquies Smith and safety Major Wright – missed Sunday's game against Dallas due to injury and defensive end George Johnson left that contest with a calf ailment.
Lemon's most recent stint with the Buccaneers began when he was signed to the practice squad in Week Two and then promoted to the active roster in Week Five. He appeared in five games on special teams, contributing one kick-coverage tackle. Lemon originally joined the Bucs at midseason last year, signed directly off Kansas City's practice squad, then went to camp with the team this summer before being released on August 28.
Swearinger arrived as a waiver claim in May after he was released by the Houston Texans. He had played two seasons in Houston, starting 22 games, after being drafted in the second round in 2013. As a Buccaneer, he played in seven games and made 11 tackles. He also recovered one fumble and added a stop on special teams.
WATCH:DOUG MARTIN MIC’D UP
Nealy spent two weeks on the Bucs' practice squad; Davis was added to that crew just last week.
