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Buccaneers 53-Man Roster Tracker: Cuts & Latest Moves

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have begun trimming down their roster after the last preseason game. Here are all the latest cuts you should be aware of as cutdown day approaches.
River Wells, James Hill|
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles talks to media after training camp at AdventHealth Training Center.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles talks to media after training camp at AdventHealth Training Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers

TAMPA, FL — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have completed all three preseason games, and now, their attention turns to trimming down the roster.

The Buccaneers have to cut down from 90 men to 53 men by Sunday, and that process is already beginning on Saturday. Tampa Bay will look to get 16 of these players onto the practice squad, but the rest will be cut and will have to find new NFL homes during the 2026 season.

Here's every cut the Bucs are making, so you can keep track of all the action:

RB Barika Kpeenu

The Bucs brought in Kpeenu during training camp after the team's first preseason game against the New York Jets, and now, he becomes the first cut the team makes. With this cut, Tampa Bay's running back room remains at four players, with Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell both starting and Sean Tucker and Josh Williams competing for roster spots.

LB John Bullock

Bullock played for the Buccaneers last year and made the 53-man roster then, but it wasn't to be the second time around. Bullock spent some time with the Colts during the offseason before coming back to Tampa Bay in hopes of making the roster again.

QB Connor Bazelak

Bazelak was Tampa Bay's QB3 last year after beating out Michael Pratt for the job. He had hoped to win that job again this year against UDFA Jalon Daniels, but Daniels really impressed over preseason. He didn't play a single snap in Tampa Bay's second preseason game, which all but spelled the end for his time in Tampa Bay.

OG Nash Hutmacher

Interestingly enough, Hutmacher was a defensive tackle with the team in 2025 that the Buccaneers converted to a guard. He's coming along to that position change slowly, but for now, he may have to continue that improvement on the practice squad.

DT Travis Shaw

The Bucs picked up Shaw, a UDFA defensive tackle from Texas, after he was released by the New England Patriots in July. Unfortunately, he was unable to make his mark with the Bucs and stick around, but he could be a practice squad option.

OT Marshall Foerner

Foerner was a developmental offensive tackle for the Bucs who signed a futures deal after last season. The Bucs already have established backup tackles in Benjamin Chukwuma and Justin Skule, which is why Foerner did not make the cut.

TE Kenny Fletcher Jr.

Fletcher Jr. joined the team after going undrafted out of Rutgers in the most recent NFL Draft. While he did have some impressive moments in training camp, Fletcher Jr. lost the numbers game, as the team already has established backup tight ends in Payne Durham, Ko Kieft and Bauer Sharp.

K B.T. Potter

Potter was very solid in camp and preseason but was a big long shot to make the roster with Chase McLaughlin being the team's starting kicker. Now, he has the chance to go somewhere else with what he's shown with the Bucs.

LS Scott Daly

Daly was competing with long snapper Evan Deckers for a chance at Tampa Bay's long snapper job for 2026. The team clearly likes Deckers better, and as a result, Daly is on the way out.

IOL Elijah Klein

A sixth-round draft pick in 2024, Klein didn't impress when he stepped in to help play guard in the beginning of the season in the absences of Cody Mauch and Ben Bredeson. Klein will now look for a new NFL home or, perhaps, a spot on the practice squad.

WR Jha'Juan Jackson

Jackson was signed as emergency depth for Friday's preseason game and didn't play, so he's not needed in Tampa Bay any longer.

LB Nick Jackson

The Buccaneers liked Jackson last year, but this year, a newly revamped linebackers room has pushed him out. He joins Bullock as two linebackers who were with Tampa Bay last year and, for the moment, won't be this year — practice squad spots could be a possibility.

DT Jayson Jones

Jones was with Tampa Bay last year, but he missed a good portion of the year with an injury. He was with the Bucs this year, and while he didn't make the team, he has enough experience in Todd Bowles' defense to potentially be an asset for the practice squad.

WR Eric Rivers

Rivers was one of two Georgia Tech wideouts the team brought in this offseason as undrafted free agents. He could potentially find his way to the practice squad, but he'll be competing with a few wideouts to get there — including his former teammate, Dean Patterson.

WR Dean Patterson

Patterson was Rivers' teammate at Georgia Tech, but of the two, he stuck out the most during the offseason. Patterson impressed during training camp and during preseason play, and because of that, he'd almost certainly land back on the practice squad if he's able to clear waivers.

QB Jake Browning

The Bucs gave Browning a one-year, $1.3 million deal with $400,000 guaranteed to be Baker Mayfield's backup quarterback, but he lost the competition to UDFA Jalon Daniels. Because Browning is a veteran, he will not have to clear waivers and can sign with whatever team he'd like. He'd be an unlikely candidate for Tampa Bay's practice squad, but that is still an option for him.

TE Devin Culp

Culp is the second of Tampa Bay's 2024 draft class to be waived. He showed some flashes in 2024 under offensive coordinator Liam Coen, but he didn't do much last season and lost a competition to tight end Bauer Sharp this offseason. He's a strong practice squad candidate, should he clear waivers.

S Rashad Wisdom

Wisdom has been with the Buccaneers in some capacity since 2024, but he isn't making the roster in 2026. He's an obvious practice squad candidate, as he's played in Todd Bowles' system for three offseasons now.

DT Josiah Green

Green joined Tampa Bay as a UDFA this offseason, and despite netting a sack this preseason, he's being waived. Another potential candidate for the practice squad if the Bucs liked what they saw enough.

OLB Yasir Holmes

Holmes was an undrafted free agent who earned a spot on the 90-man roster as a tryout from Tarleton State, but per FOX Sports' Greg Auman, he's likely to end up on Tampa Bay's practice squad this season.

S Rob McDaniel

McDaniel was a very late addition to the team in camp due to a need for safety depth behind incumbent starters Tykee Smith and Antoine Winfield Jr. Now, he'll head to waivers.

S Xavier Williams

Williams was another safety the Bucs picked up in hopes of adding some depth to that room. He injured his hip against the Jaguars, so he was waived injured by Tampa Bay and would have to wait until he's healthy to return, if he does.

S J.J. Roberts

The Buccaneers were really excited about Roberts last year before he tore his ACL in training camp. Because he spent most of this offseason recovering from that injury, he doesn't make the cut, but he'll almost certainly be a practice squad member.

WR Matthew Henry

Henry was brought on as emergency wideout depth and did not play during Friday's preseason matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

RB Josh Williams

Williams was competing with running back Sean Tucker for the team's RB3 spot this offseason, and with this release, he doesn't win the job. Should he clear waivers, though, he'll almost certainly be back on the team's practice squad.

C Ben Scott

Scott was with the team last year as a member of the practice squad, and he was unable to make it on to the 53-man roster this season. With serious depth concerns on the offensive line, he could be a practice squad candidate, but the Bucs may also want to see who else is out there.

OLB Jack Pyburn

Pyburn was a somewhat controversial figure this offseason, as he was involved with a lawsuit granting him the ability to return to college football unless the Bucs kept him around. They didn't, and now, it remains to be seen if Pyburn is claimed by another team — or if he'll return to LSU.

IOL Henry Lutovsky

Lutovsky was another depth offensive lineman that will be cut in Tampa Bay. The offensive line depth has looked concerning all offseason, and the Bucs will have to figure out which linemen they want to keep and which they are fine with leaving.

OT Paul Rubelt

Rubelt, a 6-10 offensive tackle from Germany who played at UCF, didn't have much of a chance to make a roster. He is an international player, though, and he could serve as the team's 17th practice squad player because of that.

CB Roman Parodie

Parodie was brought in due to a lack of cornerback depth midway through camp. He's had two interceptions in his last two preseason slates in 2025 and 2026, so he could be a practice squad option if he's able to clear waivers.

OLB Mohamed Kamara

Kamara showed some promise in the offseason, but he injured himself in Friday's contest with the Jacksonville Jaguars. As a result, he'll have to make an injury settlement with the team but could come back to the practice squad.

CB Pepe Williams

Williams was competing with UDFA Ayden Garnes for a spot on the 53-man roster this offseason. With him waived injured, it seems like Garnes has made the 53-man roster as many predicted.

OLB Chris Braswell

Braswell was Tampa Bay's 2024 second-round pick at edge rusher, and his potential never materialized. He had a hard time getting on the field and didn't impress when he did, and since he was injured the last week of preseason, he didn't get a chance to make a final push for his spot on the roster.

LB Javin Wright

Wright was a UDFA linebacker set to try and help Tampa Bay's linebacker depth, but now, he'll have to clear waivers and get a spot on the practice squad if he wants to stay in Tampa Bay.

WR Garrett Greene

Greene, a former quarterback at West Virginia, was on the practice squad last year in Tampa Bay and will likely continue that route if he stays around in Tampa Bay this year, too. On top of that David Sills V was put on IR, which gives the Bucs some roster flexibility for the first four games of the season.

S Ifeatu Melifonwu

Tampa Bay's very last cut is Melifonwu, who the team signed for safety depth. Melifonwu can come back on the practice squad, but the Bucs only have three safeties on the 53-man roster and will desperately need to address that in the coming days.

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River Wells
RIVER WELLS

River Wells is a sports journalist from St. Petersburg, Florida, who has covered the Tampa Bay Buccaneers since 2023. He graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Florida in 2021. You can follow him on Twitter @riverhwells.

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James Hill
JAMES HILL

James Hill is a contributor and writer for BucsGameday, covering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a daily basis. A graduate of St. Petersburg College with a bachelor’s degree in Sports Management and Business Administration, Hill has been active in sports media since 2015. He is also the creator of the YouTube channel “MrBucsNation,” which has grown to over 25,000 subscribers and 11.7 million views.

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