With DeSean Jackson unavailable for Sunday's game due to a thumb injury, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have promoted Bobo Wilson from the practice squad in order to have five healthy wideouts to face the Carolina Panthers. To make room for Wilson on the 53-man roster, the Buccaneers waived first-year running back Dare Ogunbowale.
Wilson joins Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Adam Humphries and Justin Watson in the receiving corps for Sunday's game. Head Coach Dirk Koetter revealed on Friday that Jackson, who is second on the team with 750 receiving yards, would not be able to play against the Panthers.
"It's hard to go into a game with less than five wideouts," said Koetter. "Anybody past Mike and Chris and Hump who's up is going to be in the mix."
This is the second consecutive season that Bobo Wilson has been promoted in Week 13 of the regular season after spending the first 12 weeks on Tampa Bay's practice squad. Last year, as an undrafted rookie out of Florida State, Wilson played in three games and started the season finale in a three-receiver formation. He contributed one catch for 18 yards and a touchdown, coincidentally against this weekend's opponent, the Panthers. He also picked up eight yards on three end-around carries.
The 5-9, 186-pound Wilson played in 45 games at Florida State and recorded 133 receptions for 1,562 yards and eight touchdowns. He ranks 11th in Seminoles team history with those 133 catches. Wilson hails from Miami.
Ogunbowale got his own promotion from the Buccaneers' practice squad in Week 11 and he handled the kickoff return job in the past two games. He ran back seven kickoffs for 137 yards, with a long return of 25 yards.
