The Buccaneers are heading toward Week 13 with injury concerns about three of their tight ends, so they decided to add some insurance in the event any or all of them are unable to play against the Bengals.
Tampa announced that they have signed D.J. Williams and promoted Cameron Brate from their practice squad to fill out the depth chart at tight end. Fullback Jorvorskie Lane was placed on injured reserve with a broken leg and kick returner Marcus Thigpen was released.
Williams was a fifth-round pick of the Packers in 2011 and caught nine passes in two seasons there before splitting last season with the Jaguars and Patriots. Brate spent the preseason with Tampa after finishing his collegiate career at Harvard and has been on the practice squad all year. Brandon Myers, Luke Stocker and Austin Seferian-Jenkins all missed time with injuries last Sunday.
Thigpen’s departure means that there’s another change coming on special teams for the Buccaneers, who have also used Solomon Patton and Trindon Holliday as their returner this season.
