The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made a series of roster moves on Saturday to get the team ready to play against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. Among those moves were the activations of veteran safety Jordan Whitehead and rookie wide receiver Kameron Johnson from injured reserve. Both will be eligible to play on Sunday when the Panthers visit Raymond James Stadium.
The Buccaneers also signed rookie punter Jack Browning to the 53-man roster off their practice squad. Browning had handled the team's punting duties for the previous three weeks following elevations from the practice squad, but was out of elevation options by Week 17. The Bucs had created three open roster spots late in the week by waiving defensive lineman Earnest Brown and rookie linebacker Antonio Grier on Friday and placing safety Christian Izien on injured reserve on Thursday. One of those openings was filled by the re-signing of outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett on Saturday morning, so the Bucs needed one more for the rest of their Saturday additions and got it by waiving linebacker Vi Jones.
Whitehead landed on injured reserve on November 29 due to a pectoral injury suffered against the New York Giants in Week 12. He missed the required minimum of four games before returning to practice this week and beginning 21-day window in which he could be activated at any time. Prior to his injury, Whitehead started the first 11 games of the season and contributed 76 tackles, two tackles for loss, one quarterback hit and three passes defensed. He has played in 104 NFL regular-season games, the first 59 with the Buccaneers after being drafted in the fourth round in 2018. Including a two-year stint with the New York Jets, Whitehead has logged 100 starts, 554 tackles, 11 interceptions and 45 passes defensed.
Whitehead's return restores some depth to a safety position that has been in constant flux over the last month due to various injuries. Izien, as noted above, is out for the rest of the season due to the pectoral injury he suffered in Dallas, and All-Pro Antoine Winfield Jr. has been ruled out for a third straight game due to a knee injury.
Johnson made the Buccaneers' active roster as an undrafted rookie this summer but has been limited most of the season by an ankle injury suffered in the preseason. Johnson did appear in four early-season games, recording one carry for no yards and one punt return for 11 yards, but he was placed on injured reserve on October 21. He returned to practice on December 12, opening his 21-day window.
Johnson's return is also well-timed, as veteran receiver Sterling Shepard suffered a hamstring injury against the Cowboys that will keep him out for at least this weekend's game. The Bucs have generally kept six receivers active on game days this season and will be able to do so with Johnson rejoining Mike Evans, Jalen McMillan, Trey Palmer, Rakim Jarrett and Ryan Miller.
Whitehead and Johnson are the fifth and sixth Buccaneers to return from an injured reserve stint this season, joining Brown, wide receiver Rakim Jarrett, long-snapper Evan Deckers and cornerback Jamel Dean.
Browning is the third punter rostered by the Buccaneers this season, following Jake Camarda and Trenton Gill. In his three games in that role, Browning has kicked seven times for 307 yards, with a gross average of 43.9, a net of 33.9 and one touchback. He has also served as the holder on placekicks and handled kickoffs in the first two games before being replaced by Chase McLaughlin in that role last week.
Jones started the season on the Bucs' practice squad and was elevated for game day on three occasions before being promoted to the active roster on November 29. In all, he has appeared in seven games in 2024, mostly on special teams, and has six tackles and a forced fumble on defense plus three stops and another forced fumble on special teams.
