The last time Breshad Perriman was on the field, he was loping into the end zone at the end of a 58-yard game-winning touchdown catch in overtime against the Buffalo Bills in Week 14. Now he'll have a chance to help the Tampa Bay Buccaneers even more as they head towards the playoffs.
On Monday, the Buccaneers activated Perriman from the reserve/COVID-19 list, meaning he can return to action this week. Perriman had been placed on that list on December 18, causing him to miss Tampa Bay's next two games against New Orleans and Carolina. The Buccaneers did not have to make a corresponding move to clear roster space as they started Week 17 with three open spots.
Perriman's return comes at a time when the Buccaneers are having to shuffle their receiving corps with Chris Godwin on injured reserve and Mike Evans currently sidelined by a hamstring injury. Antonio Brown returned from an eight-game absence last week and got a team-high 15 targets in the win at Carolina, but Cyril Grayson and Tyler Johnson saw significantly more playing time, as well. Grayson put up 95 yards from scrimmage against the Panthers but then reverted to the practice squad after the game.
Perriman, who set career highs with 36 catches for 645 yards and six touchdowns for the Buccaneers in 2019, rejoined the team on November 10 after being released by the Chicago Bears. He started on the practice squad but was twice elevated to play in games before being promoted to the active roster on December 3. Since joining the Bucs he has played in four games and recorded four receptions for 92 yards and a score. His 58-yard catch-and-run in Week 14 gave the Bucs a critical 33-27 victory after the Bills had rallied to send the game to overtime.
Notably, Perriman's production in that strong 2019 campaign in Tampa spiked after both Evans and Godwin were sidelined by hamstring injuries in December. In the last three games of the season, Perriman racked up 17 catches for 349 yards and four touchdowns. Originally a first-round pick by Baltimore in 2016, he has also played for the Browns and Jets and has career totals of 129 receptions for 2,148 yards and 15 touchdowns.
