Getty Former Buccaneers linebacker Jack Cichy runs out the American flag in 2018.
One Tampa Bay Buccaneers player who started the season in Tampa will end it in New England.
Former Buccaneers linebacker Jack Cichy joined the New England Patriots Thursday via a waiver claim according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport on Twitter.
The Bucs released Cichy Wednesday. NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo reported via Twitter that Cichy would be sought after quickly.
#Buccaneers are waiving LB Jack Cichy, source says. Solid special-teamer and backup when healthy. Should draw interest on waivers.
Tampa picked Cichy from Wisconsin in the sixth round of the 2018 draft. Cichy played in 15 games and had six tackles as most of his playing time came on special teams, per NBC Sports’ Myles Simmons. Cichy has a history of injuries in his short career with an ACL tear in his rookie season and an elbow injury last year. He also dealt with a hamstring issue this fall according to Buccaneers.com’s Scott Smith.
Defensive Lineman Signed
The Bucs moved defensive lineman Jeremiah Ledbetter to the active roster from the practice squad Wednesday, which Tampa Bay Times reporter Rick Stroud reported via Twitter.
Bucs signed DL Jeremiah Ledbetter from the practice squad to the active roster.
Ledbetter could see playing time for the second time this season with the move. He played 24 plays against the Green Bay Packers in Week 6 according to Smith. The fourth-year defensive lineman, originally drafted by the Detroit Lions from Arkansas, has been on and off the Bucs’ practice squad since 2018, Smith wrote.
Ledbetter has 17 tackles in 18 games played. He will add some depth up front according to USA Today’s Bucs Wire.
Evans Nearing Records
Wide receiver Mike Evans needs one big game, or 127 yards and a touchdown, to join a short list of hall-of-fame caliber receivers.
Evan could become the seventh receiver in league history to post 500 receptions, 8,000 yards, and 60 touchdowns in their first seven years according to the Buccaneers’ Communications Department via Smith. That list includes Jerry Rice, Sterling Sharpe, Calvin Johnson, Marvin Harrison, Larry Fitzgerald, and Randy Moss.
Evans also could surpass Moss for the most consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons, six, to start a career with 387 more yards according to Smith.
Two Bucs Lead Votes
Alex Cappa and Carlton Davis III both lead in NFC Pro Bowl fan votes for their respective positions in the final list put out by the NFL Wednesday according to NFLTradeRumors.co.
Cappa, an offensive guard, has 51,445 votes. A 2018 third-round draft pick from Humboldt State, Cappa has started 25 games in his career.
Davis, a second-round pick in 2018 from Auburn, has 45,387 votes. He has 53 tackles and four interceptions this season. His most recent outing against the Kansas City Chiefs didn’t shake his status despite wide receiver Tyreek Hill scoring three touchdowns against him.
Fans can still vote for players for the Pro Bowl on https://www.nfl.com/pro-bowl/ballot/ through Dec. 17. This season’s Pro Bowl will be virtual due to COVID-19.
Scoreboard Watching
Tampa controls its playoff destiny, but numerous games this weekend can help or hurt its positioning. The Bucs (7-5) own the No. 6 seed in the NFC going into the weekend.
The Athletic’s Greg Auman posted a thread of games via Twitter that impact how secure that spot stays and how likely or unlikely the Bucs could climb back into the No. 5 seed.
Bucs are off this weekend, but there are several games with implications on Tampa Bay’s chase for a playoff berth. So we offer up a thread on Who Bucs Fans Should Be Rooting For in other games Sunday …
The Bucs will host the Minnesota Vikings (5-6) in Week 14.
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