The Tampa Bay Buccaneers activated punter Trenton Gill and wide receiver Sterling Shepard from the practice squad on Saturday, making both players eligible to play in Sunday's Week Four game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
In addition, tackle Luke Goedeke, who remains in the concussion protocol, was downgraded to out on the injury report. Running back Rachaad White was added to the report and listed as questionable due to an illness.
The NFL introduced the practice squad elevation option in 2020, allowing teams to activate up to two practice squad players for each game. By utilizing both options in Week Four, the Buccaneers have increased their game day roster to 55 players for their matchup with the Eagles. They will be able to keep 48 of those player active for the game, naming seven inactives prior to kickoff.
Each player on the practice squad can be elevated up to three times during the regular season and an unlimited amount of times in the postseason. After the game, elevated players automatically revert to the practice squad without having to pass through waivers. This is the first elevation for Gill and the second for Shepard.
The elevation of Gill gives the Bucs two punters on the active roster for Sunday's game, though only one is likely to be active. Third-year player Jake Camarda has handled the job for the first three games, compiling a gross punting average of 45.7 yards and a net average of 39.8 yards. Gill was signed to the Buccaneers' practice squad on Tuesday. A seventh-round draft pick by Chicago in 2022, Gill spent the last two seasons as the Bears' punter, averaging 46.1 yards per punt with a net of 38.5. He went to training camp with the Denver Broncos this summer.
The Bucs needed reinforcements in the receiving corps after rookie Jalen McMillan suffered a hamstring injury in practice on Friday and was subsequently listed as doubtful for Sunday's game on the injury report. In addition, rookie wide receiver Kameron Johnson is considered questionable to play due to an ankle injury. Shepard joined the Buccaneers in June after eight seasons with the New York Giants, during which he caught 372 passes for 4,095 yards and 23 touchdowns.
The practice squad elevation option was introduced as part of the new collective bargaining agreement in 2020. The new rule was something of a compromise, as it did not expand the active rosters beyond 53 players but did give teams a few more options on game days, particularly in regard to dealing with injuries.
