The Bucs made a roster move on Monday, signing cornerback Troy Hill to the active roster from the practice squad and waiving safety Kaevon Merriweather. The 33-year old Hill was signed to Tampa Bay’s practice squad on October 30.

The Bucs have been playing without starting cornerback Jamel Dean since he injured his hamstring in Week 6 at New Orleans and was placed on injured reserve. Dean returned to practice on Monday as the team opened his 21-day practice window and he said he felt great and did a lot of running during the bye week to work on his cardio and conditioning with the expectation that he’ll come off I.R. and start on Sunday at New York against the Giants.

“I actually feel like a player right now,” Dean said. “Ever since I’ve been out, they’ve been treating me like a coach, so it feels good to finally feel like a player again.”

If the Bucs do activate Dean from injured reserve they will need to make a roster move and could cut undrafted free agent cornerback Tyrek Funderburk, as Josh Hayes got the start for Dean over the last two weeks and is also Tampa Bay’s top gunner on punt coverage.

The Bucs could waive Merriweather to make room for Hill because they recently claimed safety Mike Edwards off waivers. There is a chance that Merriweather is re-signed to the practice squad, and possibly Funderburk too if he is waived later this week to make room for Dean on Tampa Bay’s 53-man roster.

Troy Hill Give Bucs Another Veteran Cornerback

Bucs CB Troy Hill – Photo by: USA Today

Cornerback Troy Hill, 5-foot-10, 182 pounds, appeared in 119 career games for the Cincinnati Bengals (2015), Los Angeles Rams (2016-20, 2022), Cleveland Browns (2021) and Carolina Panthers (2023-24), making 60 starts and totaling 406 tackles (16 for loss), 41 passes defensed, nine interceptions (three returned for touchdowns), five quarterback hits, 3.0 sacks, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.

Hill’s best season came in 2020 when he posted career highs in tackles (77), passes defensed (10) and interceptions (three), while leading the NFL in defensive touchdowns, with three. The Youngstown, Ohio, native played collegiately at the University of Oregon (2011-14), appearing in 49 career games and amassing 169 tackles (7.0 for loss), 26 passes defensed, three interceptions and three forced fumbles. He originally entered the league as a college free agent with the Bengals in 2015. Hill wears No. 25 for Tampa Bay.