One day after losing cornerback Myron Lewis to the injured reserve list, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have restored their depth at the position to its previous level by re-signing sixth-year veteran Brandon McDonald.
The Buccaneers also swapped out one position on their eight-man practice squad, re-signing CB James Rogers and releasing LB Joe Holland.
McDonald played in the first eight games of the season for Tampa Bay, with two starts. He was claimed by Miami after being waived by Tampa Bay in early November but only spent a few days with the Dolphins.
McDonald played a significant role in the team's secondary during the first month of the season and secured an interception that he returned 40 yards against the New York Giants in Week Two. He also pitched in with 20 tackles, a tackle for loss and two passes defensed. Originally a fifth-round pick of the Cleveland Browns in 2007, he has played in a total of 77 NFL games with 31 starts, racking up 213 tackles, one sack, nine interceptions and 42 passes defensed.
Like McDonald, Rogers signed with the Buccaneers during the preseason, actually arriving in time to join the team's training camp on August 8. The 6-1, 188-pound cornerback saw action in all four preseason games, contributing five tackles and one pass defensed. He first entered the league as an undrafted rookie in 2011 with the Denver Broncos but ended up playing for the Kansas City Command in the Arena Football League during the fall. Rogers played his college ball at Michigan, appearing in 46 games and getting starts at both cornerback and wide receiver.
Holland, another Big Ten product out of Purdue, has had two stints on the Bucs' practice squad this fall, spending Weeks 11 and 13-14 with the team.
