The Buccaneers have added a wide receiver to the roster for the second time in the last three days.
The team announced the signing of Jacob Harris on Saturday morning. They placed linebacker David Walker on injured reserve in a corresponding move.
Walker was a fourth-round pick this year and he tore his ACL in practice.
Harris was a Rams fourth-rounder in 2021 and he appeared in 18 games for the team. He had one catch for six yards with the Rams before spending time with the Eagles and in the UFL.
The Bucs also signed Jaden Smith on Thursday as Chris Godwin, Trey Palmer, Tez Johnson, and Kam Johnson deal with injuries.
Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans said this week that he feels ready to “put on a great show” during his 12th season with the team and his work in camp has convinced one important observer that he’ll prove to be good to his word.
Head coach Todd Bowles said on NFL Network that Evans is showing no signs of slowing down as he approaches his 32nd birthday later this month.
“This is probably the freshest I’ve seen him in training camp from a fresh in practice standpoint and a competing standpoint,” Bowles said. “I’ve never seen him better. Usually he gets a tweak here and there and has to sit out. He hasn’t had that. He’s been jumping in every time. He blocks. He runs routes. It looks like he’s having more fun than he’s ever had and he’s found the fountain of youth. We’re gonna ride him ‘til the cows come home.”
Chris Godwin is still working his way back from a leg injury, but the Bucs have Jalen McMillan and first-round pick Emeka Egbuka at receiver along with Evans, so there’s no shortage of places for Baker Mayfield to go with the ball. History says that Evans is going to be the top option as long as he’s healthy, though, and that makes Bowles’s comments a reason for optimism about what the Bucs will do on offense this season.
Shedeur Sanders has gotten the lion’s share of the attention, but he’s not the only member of the family trying to start his NFL career this year.
His brother Shilo signed with the Bucs after going undrafted out of Colorado and head coach Todd Bowles gave an update at a Thursday press conference on how the safety is performing this summer.
“He’s coming along,” Bowles said, via a transcript from the team. “He’s getting the scheme down. He’s made plays like everybody else back there. There are a few tests that come up during the preseason — Tuesday night was one, and the other three preseason games and practices will be others. He’s got a chance to make it.”
Sanders is one of many players around the league who will be hoping to use the coming preseason schedule as a springboard to a job in the league. He’ll get his first chance to make a strong impression against the Titans on August 9.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield is out of Buccaneers practice on Friday after getting dinged in Thursday’s workout.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reports that Mayfield suffered a contusion on his throwing hand during the session. Pelissero adds that Mayfield underwent scans as a precaution and that he is considered day-to-day heading into the weekend.
Mayfield has not missed a game since joining the Buccaneers in 2023 and it doesn’t sound like the current issue is one that’s going to keep him off the field for any significant amount of time.
Kyle Trask and Connor Bazelak will handle the quarterbacking duties with Mayfield on the sideline. Michael Pratt is also on the roster, but is currently on the physically unable to perform list.
The Buccaneers have announced a few roster moves as the club is dealing with some minor injuries on offense.
Tampa Bay has signed rookie receiver Jaden Smith and the previously reported signing of running back Owen Wright.
As corresponding moves, the club has waived safety Marcus Banks and running back D.J. Williams.
Tampa Bay is familiar with Smith after he participated in the team’s rookie minicamp on a tryout basis. He entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Nevada in the spring.
Wright entered the league with the Ravens in 2023 and appeared in one game for the franchise that season, playing exclusively on special teams. He spent the 2024 season on IR with a foot fracture.
