A month ago, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers added two new players to the practice squad in cornerback LeQuan Lewis and defensive end Aaron Morgan. Now, both players are members of the Buccaneers' 53-man roster. On Tuesday, the Buccaneers promoted Lewis from their practice squad to the active roster for the second time this season.
Lewis took the spot vacated by veteran cornerback Brandon McDonald, who was released on Tuesday. The team also filled an open spot on their eight-man practice squad, signing rookie tight end LaMark Brown. One additional vacancy remains on the practice squad; if past weeks are any indication, it will be filled before the Bucs take the practice field on Wednesday.
Lewis originally beat Morgan to the active roster, getting his first promotion on October 20 and appearing in Tampa Bay's Week Seven game against New Orleans. Lewis was later waived on October 25 when defensive end Da'Quan Bowers was activated from the reserve/PUP list, then added back to the practice squad. Morgan was just signed to the 53-man roster last Friday and he saw his first game action with the Buccaneers in Sunday's 42-32 win at Oakland.
Interestingly, Lewis has already played for and against the Buccaneers this season. He was on the Cowboys' active roster in December and he saw action in Dallas' 16-10 win over Tampa Bay in Week Three, contributing one tackle and one pass defensed. He did not record any statistics as a Buccaneer in Week Seven, playing primarily on special teams.
Lewis, the former Arizona State cornerback, will be joining his fifth NFL team since coming to the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He didn't play in the NFL as a rookie but signed with Oakland this past summer and eventually ended up in training camp with the New York Jets. Lewis (5-11, 193) started the season on the Jets' practice squad but was signed by the Dallas Cowboys to their active roster on September 12.
The 6-3, 225-pound Brown spent the first month of the season on Buffalo's practice squad before being released on October 2. He originally entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Falcons in
April after splitting his college career between Kansas State and Minnesota State-Mankato. He went to training camp with the Falcons but was waived on the final cutdown. Brown played wide receiver and running back at Kansas State, and in his one season in Mankato caught 31 passes for 405 yards and five touchdowns.
McDonald first joined the Buccaneers on August 20, and though he was briefly released before the season opener, he was re-signed on September 5 and spent much of the first month of the season as the team's primary nickel back. He saw action in each of Tampa Bay's first eight games, with two starts, and contributed 20 tackles and one interception.
