Tampa Bay announced today that they have released CB Brandon McDonald and promoted CB LeQuan Lewis to the 53-man roster from the Bucs’ practice squad. 

McDonald was signed by Tampa Bay on August 20th, just before the preseason game against New England. The sixth-year corner was cut on September 1, but resigned to the team four days later.  

The former Memphis Tiger was a popular player in the Bucs’ locker room and undrafted rookie Leonard Johnson said McDonald had given him the best advice the Clearwater native had received since becoming a Buccaneer.

“Stay hungry, stay humble,” Johnson said. “I got that from B-Mac (Brandon McDonald), great guy, one of the guys I lean on besides the rest of the guys in the secondary group. But most definitely he watches over me and continues to bring me along with him.”

McDonald had played in all eight games for the Bucs, starting two, and had recorded 21 tackles and intercepted Eli Manning in Week 2.

Undrafted out of Arizona State, Lewis signed with Tennessee in July 2011. Unable to make the final roster cuts with the Titans, Lewis spent all of last season out of football. In 2012, Lewis signed with Oakland, the New York Jets twice, and Dallas where the former Sun Devil played in the first three games of the season, recording one tackle before being released from the Cowboys on October 2nd. Tampa Bay became the fourth team this year to sign Lewis, adding him to the practice squad on October 9th. 

On October 20, the Bucs called Lewis up from the practice squad to the active roster, but released him after DE Da’Quan Bowers was removed from the PUP (physically unable to perform) list and activated to the 53-man roster shortly before the Vikings game on October 25th. After clearing waivers, Tampa Bay re-signed Lewis to the practice squad.

With Aqib Talib now with the Patriots and the immediate future of CB Eric Wright unknown (FOX’s Jay Glazer reported a little over a week ago that Wright had tested positive for Adderall), the addition of Lewis is not too shocking considering the Buccaneers coaching staff, including head coach Greg Schiano, had been working with the second-year corner one-on-one in practices.  

During his previous activation with the Bucs, Lewis played, but did not record a stat,  against the Saints.

The team also announced that it has signed TE LaMark Brown to its practice squad.

The undrafted rookie out of Minnesota State-Mankato was signed by the Falcons but was released at the final roster deadline on August 31.  On September 3rd, Brown signed to the Bills’ practice squad.