The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Week Five list of protected practice squad players includes one player making an appearance in that group for the first time this season: rookie wide receiver Josh Pearson.
In addition to Pearson, the Buccaneers have protected veteran cornerback Ross Cockrell, kicker Greg Joseph and linebacker Chapelle Russell. Joseph has been protected all five weeks, this is the second straight week for Cockrell and Russell has been on the list three times overall, though not consecutively.
The inclusion of Pearson this week is likely a nod to the team's deep injury concerns at the receiver position. Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Scotty Miller and Justin Watson have all been held out of the team's first two practices of the week and may not be available on Thursday night when the Bucs play the Bears in Chicago. It's even possible all four will miss the game, which would leave the team with just Jaydon Mickens and Cyril Grayson at the receiver position. Mickens has primarily served as a kick returner this year while Grayson was just signed off the practice squad. Neither has a reception this season.
View photos of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers roster as it currently stands.
S Andrew Adams
TE Antony Auclair
OLB Shaquil Barrett
QB Tom Brady
TE Cameron Brate
WR Antonio Brown
LB Deone Bucannon
CB Ross Cockrell
ILB Lavonte David
CB Carlton Davis
DL Khalil Davis
CB Jamel Dean
S Mike Edwards
WR Mike Evans
RB Leonard Fournette
QB Blaine Gabbert
DL William Gholston
OLB Cam Gill
WR Chris Godwin
QB Ryan Griffin
TE Rob Gronkowski
T Joe Haeg
TE Tanner Hudson
C Ryan Jensen
WR Tyler Johnson
RB Ronald Jones II
DL Jeremiah Ledbetter
G Ali Marpet
RB LeSean McCoy
DT Steve McLendon
WR Jaydon Mickens
WR Scotty Miller
ILB Kevin Minter
CB Sean Murphy-Bunting
OLB Anthony Nelson
DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches
DL Patrick O'Connor
OLB Jason Pierre-Paul
P Bradley Pinion
OT Donovan Smith
CB Ryan Smith
G Aaron Stinnie
K Ryan Succop
DT Ndamukong Suh
LS Zach Triner
RB Ke'Shawn Vaughn
DT Vita Vea
WR Justin Watson
OT Josh Wells
ILB Devin White
S Jordan Whitehead
S Antoine Winfield Jr.
T Tristan Wirfs
By using their four protection options – a new rule put in place over the summer to help teams with roster flexibility while playing amid a pandemic – the Buccaneers can make sure none of those players can be signed by other teams to their active rosters before the game. That protection period lasts from 4:00 p.m. ET Tuesday through Thursday's game. All practice squad players still have opportunities to get promoted by other teams between when their team's game is played and the next Tuesday deadline.
In addition to being protected for the first time, Pearson could be one of two possible practice squad elevations for Thursday's game. The protected players do not have to be elevated but Pearson obviously could be a top priority if multiple Bucs receivers can't play. Pearson signed with the Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent out of Jacksonville State in the spring. He played in 26 games at JSU and recorded 126 catches for 943 yards and 30 touchdowns. His career touchdown mark established a new school record.
