The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are fresh off an NFC South crown and a playoff victory, meaning expectations are high heading into this season, especially after the front office gave contract extensions to so many key members of last year’s team, including Mike Evans, Baker Mayfield and Tristan Wirfs.
After one major injury in a training camp practice, the team is moving quickly to fill a roster spot and reportedly is signing a linebacker to provide some depth at edge rusher.
Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times shared on X that the Buccaneers are signing linebacker Jay Person after placing guard Sua Opeta on injured reserve with a torn ACL.
#Bucs have placed G Sua Opeta on IR with the torn ACL. They have signed lON Jay Person. At 6-2, 237, Person originally entered the NFL as a college free agent with the Patriots in May before being released on June 11, 2024.
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) August 2, 2024
Bucs edge rusher YaYa Diaby is not practicing due to an ankle injury, so Person will have the chance to step right in and fill an immediate need.
Person signed with the New England Patriots in May as an undrafted free agent out of Chattanooga but was released in June.
At Chattanooga, he was a two-time Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year and earned first-team All-America honors in each of the past two years while collecting 233 tackles, 56 tackles for loss, 27 sacks and nine forced fumbles in 49 games.
Diaby had 7.5 sacks as a rookie last season and reportedly is nursing a high-ankle sprain that will keep him out through the preseason, though he intends to be ready for Week 1.
That will give Person plenty of time to show what he can do and make a push to solidify a roster spot.
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