The Bucs have done their share of practice squad elevations this year, but the team elevated two players that they haven’t elevated before on Saturday prior to Sunday’s game at New Orleans against the 1-6 Saints. Tampa Bay elevated outside linebacker Mohamed Kamara and quarterback Connor Bazelak for their Week 8 game against a divisional rival.

The 5-2 Bucs will be without starting outside linebacker Haason Reddick on Sunday after he suffered a knee and ankle injury on Monday Night Football in the 24-9 loss at Detroit. Backup Anthony Nelson will step into the starting role opposite Yaya Diaby with Chris Braswell and Markees Watts being the primary backups. But Kamara, who was signed after he was released from Miami following the preseason.

Teddy Bridgewater, the Bucs backup quarterback, has been on the injury report all week with an injury listed as “teeth” – presumably having dental work done this week. Bazelak beat out Kyle Trask for the third quarterback role on the depth chart. Bridgewater is expected to play, but just in case, Tampa Bay will have another QB option.

Bucs Elevate 2 New Faces

Connor Bazelak (6-3, 225) originally signed with the Buccaneers as a college free agent in May of 2025. He appeared in all three of Tampa Bay’s preseason contests, completing 32-of-46 passes (69.6%) for 261 yards and one touchdown with zero interceptions to earn a 90.9 passer rating.

He played collegiately at the University of Missouri (2019–21), Indiana University (2022) and Bowling Green State University (2023–24), combining to appear in 58 career games and complete 1,152-of-1,829 passes (63.0%) for 12,344 yards and 66 touchdowns for a 127.3 passer rating. He was named third-team All-Mid-American-Conference in 2024 when he recorded career bests in completions (269), passing yards (3,044) and passing touchdowns (18). The Dayton, Ohio, native wears No. 16 for Tampa Bay.

Bucs QB Connor Bazelak – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Mohamed Kamara (6-1, 253) originally entered the league as a fifth-round pick (No. 158 overall) by the Miami Dolphins in the 2024 NFL Draft. He appeared in five games for the Dolphins in 2024, logging one tackle and one quarterback hit. He was waived by the Dolphins at the end of the 2025 preseason and signed to Tampa Bay’s practice squad on Aug. 28, 2025.

Kamara played collegiately at Colorado State University (2019–23), appearing in 49 career games with 33 starts and recording 179 tackles (45.5 for loss), 30.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and two passes defensed. He finished his career at Colorado State ranking second in school history in sacks and third in tackles for loss.

Bucs OLB Mohamed Kamara – Photo courtesy of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

His most productive collegiate season came in 2023 when he was named first-team All-Mountain-West and the Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year after recording 56 tackles (17.0 for loss) 13.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one pass defensed. The Newark, New Jersey, native wears No. 59 for Tampa Bay.

Scott Reynolds featured Kamara in a recent SR’s FAB 5 column.