Getty Bruce Arians continues to push the Bucs.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are bringing back wide receiver Justin Watson just days after the team released the wideout. Tampa Bay announced the move along with the release of cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson and punter Sterling Hofrichter as the team prepares to take on the Rams.
The Bucs released Watson prior to the team’s Wild Card matchup against the Eagles to make room for key players coming off the Injured Reserve list. Watson was a consistent part of the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl run during the 2020 season playing in 11 games, including two starts.
The receiver has seen minimal action in 2021 with just one appearance but gives the Buccaneers some much needed depth at the position. Watson has been limited this season after undergoing knee surgery last July. In recent weeks, Tampa Bay lost Chris Godwin for the season, released Antonio Brown and Cyril Grayson also sustained an injury.
“Buccaneers’ WR Justin Watson, who was placed on active PUP today, is expected to miss about four months after undergoing a surgical procedure on his knee, per source,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted on July 24.
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The Status for Wirfs & Jensen Remains Uncertain vs. Rams
The Buccaneers are dealing with a number of injuries to several key players on both offense and defense. Two starters the Bucs are watching closely is offensive linemen Tristan Wirfs and Ryan Jensen who were both injured against the Eagles. Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians pointed to the growth of the franchise which has allowed the team to continue to compete despite being shorthanded.
“We’ve had a lot of injuries in the past, but we end up 8-8,” Arians noted during his January 17 press conference, via Buccaneers.com. “To be 14-4 with everything that’s gone on is just a credit to the coaching staff but more so to the players and Jason Licht and everybody having this roster.
“We talked in the locker room after the game – you put that Bucs’ helmet on, there’s a level of expectation. You can’t be the guy you’re replacing. You just have to be the best guy that you can be, and these guys have all stepped in when they had these opportunities and done it.”
WR John Brown Headlines the 4 Practice Squad Players the Bucs Protected for Divisional Round
The Watson re-signing comes just a week after the team added speedy veteran wideout John Brown. Brown was not active against the Eagles, and it remains to be seen if his status will be different versus the Rams.
The Bucs revealed that Brown was one of four practice squad players the team protected this week. The practice squad protections prevents an opponent from signing away these players to their own active roster. Tampa Bay also protected running back Kenjon Barner, kicker Jose Borregales and tight end Codey McElroy.
The Buccaneers open as a three-point favorite against the Rams, per FanDuel. If the Bucs advance, they will face either the Packers or 49ers in the NFC Championship.