The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are getting one of their key defenders back in Week 12. On Saturday, the Buccaneers activated starting cornerback Jamel Dean from injured reserve after he missed four games plus the bye week due to a hamstring injury.
The Bucs had an open spot on the 53-man roster after waiving rookie linebacker Antonio Grier the day before.
The Buccaneers also made a pair of changes to their injury report on Saturday night. Safety Tykee Smith was downgraded from doubtful to out and tackle Tristan Wirfs was downgraded from questionable to doubtful. Smith did not travel with the team to New Jersey.
Dean suffered his injury in the team's Week Six win in New Orleans and was placed on injured reserve on October 21. He was designated for return on Monday, which gave him a three-week window in which he could practice with the team but not count against the 53-man roster. Dean was a full participant in each practice this week and appears set to return to game action on Sunday when the Buccaneers take on the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium.
Dean is the fourth player the Buccaneers have been able to bring back from injured reserve this season. They previously did so with defensive lineman Earnest Brown, wide receiver Rakim Jarrett and long-snapper Evan Deckers. A player who is placed on I.R. during the regular season must miss a minimum of four games before he is eligible to be activated.
Dean started the first six games of the season and contributed 43 tackles and four passes defensed. A third-round draft pick in 2019, Dean is in his sixth season with the Buccaneers. He has played in 76 games with 57 starts and has amassed seven interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), 49 passes defensed, 297 tackles, six tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries.
Grier joined the Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent out of Arkansas after playing most of his college career at nearby South Florida. He started the season on the practice squad but was promoted to the active roster in Week Five. He has played in four games, all on special teams, and has one kick-coverage tackle