The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have placed third-year WR Arrelious Benn on injured reserve due to shoulder and knee injuries. To fill Benn's spot, both on the 53-man roster and in the receiving corps, the Buccaneers have signed David Douglas off the New York Giants' practice squad.
Benn, a starter for most of his first two seasons in the NFL, was expected to serve as the Buccaneers' third receiver behind Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams in 2012 but he was slowed by a knee injury suffered on the first day of training camp. He returned in Week Two of the regular season and immediately took over as the team's primary kickoff returner. In eight games and one start Benn recorded four catches for 26 yards and 13 kickoff returns for 306 yards (23.5 avg.). He is also currently the team's leading tackler in kick coverage, with six stops.
Benn was the second of two second-round picks made by Tampa Bay in the 2010 draft. In 37 games and 24 starts he has recorded 59 receptions for 862 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 14.6 yards per carry.
Douglas (6-1, 205) has spent all of the 2012 regular season on the Giants' practice squad after signing with the team as an undrafted free agent in May. A McKinney, Texas native, he played his college ball at Arizona, where he appeared in 49 games with 23 starts. He finished his Wildcat career with 151 receptions for 1,542 yards and 11 touchdowns, including 65 catches as a senior in 2011.
Tampa Bay now has eight players on its injured reserve list. Benn joins fellow wide receiver Sammie Stroughter on that list, as well as former starters Quincy Black, Adrian Clayborn, Davin Joseph and Carl Nicks.
