Buccaneers make important signing to help fix one glaring issue

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have made a move aimed directly at fixing the most frustrating part of their season.

Tampa Bay has been giving up massive chunks of yardage on kick returns and currently sits near the bottom of the league, allowing 136 return yards per game.

After weeks of breakdowns in coverage, the Buccaneers are taking action by signing one of the NFL’s most accomplished special teams players.

The Bucs have signed former Saints safety T.J. Gray, who has made several All-Pro teams as a special teams ace, to their practice squad. https://t.co/ErfWuFDnOt
— Scott Smith (@ScottSBucs) November 21, 2025

Buccaneers bring in help

The Buccaneers announced Friday they signed eighth year safety J.T. Gray while releasing guard Karsen Barnhart, and the move comes directly after the disastrous showing on kick coverage against Buffalo. The Bills repeatedly started drives near midfield and even in Buccaneers territory, exposing breakdowns Tampa Bay had been trying to correct for weeks. After the game, Todd Bowles openly acknowledged that the kick team needed major changes, and this signing is the first step.

Bowles discussed the possibility of simply kicking the ball out of bounds to avoid more big returns, saying it was something the staff had “talked about” during the game. Instead, Buffalo kept chipping away at Tampa Bay’s field position advantage, putting consistent pressure on the defense.

Earlier this week, Bowles made it clear major adjustments were coming.

“We are trying different guys in different spots. We will move some guys around, and if worse comes to worst, we will try to kick it out. But it has to get better. We will work on that this week, and that is what we have been focusing on.”

That context makes the Gray signing even more significant. Tampa Bay is not just tweaking the unit – they are bringing in one of the league’s most decorated special teams players to overhaul it.

Gray played seven seasons with the Saints and became one of the NFL’s premier special teams performers, appearing in 98 games. He led the league in 2021 with 16 kick coverage stops and earned a Pro Bowl selection, a First Team All-Pro honor, and multiple Second Team All-Pro recognitions. He has also spent a short stint with the Denver Broncos this season before being waived with an injury designation on November 4.

Dec 1, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints safety J.T. Gray (48) and New Orleans Saints safety Roderic Teamer (30) run downfildagainst the hduring the second half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Why Tampa Bay needed this move

Special teams has quietly been the Buccaneers' most costly issue this season. While the defense has held its own and the offense continues battling through injuries, the kick team has consistently surrendered big plays that swing momentum and set opponents up in scoring range. It is the type of problem that becomes magnified late in the season, especially for a team fighting for a playoff position.

Gray’s arrival provides instant experience and leadership. His instincts, tackling consistency and ability to fill lanes with precision are exactly what the Buccaneers have been missing. In total, Gray brings 103 tackles, a forced fumble, three fumble recoveries and years of elite special teams production. Tampa Bay hopes that adding a proven special teams specialist will stabilize the unit and eliminate the explosive returns that have hurt them in tight games.

Bowles said earlier this week that “everything is on the table,” and signing Gray proves he meant it. With the Buccaneers entering a crucial stretch of the season, improving special teams is no longer optional.

If Gray performs like the All-Pro he has been, this move could be the turning point Tampa Bay needed at the perfect time.

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