The Tampa Bay Buccaneers activated running back Owen Wright from the practice squad on Saturday, making him eligible to play against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. Wright's elevation came a day after rookie running back Josh Williams was ruled out for the game due to a concussion. With usual backfield starter Bucky Irving also sidelined by injury, Wright gives the Buccaneers a third active running back along with Rachaad White and Sean Tucker.
The NFL introduced the practice squad elevation option in 2020, allowing teams to activate up to two practice squad players for each game. By utilizing one such option in Week Two, the Buccaneers have increased their game day roster to 54 players for their matchup with the Texans. They will be able to keep 48 of those players active for the game, naming six inactives prior to kickoff. The Buccaneers have already ruled six players out for the game, including Irving and Williams, wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, cornerbacks Zyon McCollum and Benjamin Morrison.
Each player on the practice squad can be elevated up to three times during the regular season and an unlimited amount of times in the postseason. After the game, elevated players automatically revert to the practice squad without having to pass through waivers. This is Wright's first elevation of 2025.
Wright originally signed with the Buccaneers on July 31, a week into the team's training camp. He was waived during the final roster cuts in late August but then re-signed this past Wednesday. Wright was Tampa Bay's leading rusher during the preseason, playing in all three games and logging 25 carries for 100 yards. He also caught four passes for 12 yards and returned one kickoff for 25 yards.
Wright split his college tenure between Monmouth and William & Mary, then signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2023. He spent one season on the Ravens' practice squad and one on their injured reserve list before coming to Tampa in 2025.
The practice squad elevation option was introduced as part of the new collective bargaining agreement in 2020. The new rule was something of a compromise, as it did not expand the active rosters beyond 53 players but did give teams a few more options on game days.
