Now that the Bucs have assembled their initial 2024 53-man roster, the team turns its attention to the practice squad. NFL teams can sign 16 players to the practice squad, and have an exemption for a 17th player if he is considered to be an international player. That will be the case, as Tampa Bay is going to re-sign German-born left tackle Lorenz Metz back to the practice squad.

One of the players Tampa Bay has an interest in re-signing to the practice squad is inside linebacker Kalen DeLoach. But the team waived him injured and there will be an injury settlement. Fox Sports’ Greg Auman is reporting that DeLoach won’t be able to re-sign with the Bucs until after three weeks for the period he’s been paid for. So there is a chance that DeLoach signs elsewhere, too.

As of noon on Wednesday, which is the first time NFL teams can claim players off the waiver wire and assemble their practice squads, Tampa Bay has not made any of the practice squad signings public. But Bucs head coach Todd Bowles did speak about 30-year old veteran wide receiver Sterling Shepard, who suffered a rib injury and missed the preseason.

Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“Well, early on he showed a lot and then he got injured and missed a lot of time,” Bowles said. “That obviously has to weigh in on it. Hopefully we can get him back in some capacity because when he was fresh, he was good. He made a lot of plays.”

Bowles also hinted that the Bucs practice squad will feature a lot of the players the team went to training camp with and ultimately released on Monday and Tuesday in the roster cuts.

“The guys you probably want on your practice squad, you probably release last. Hopefully, with everybody doing cuts at the same time, it’s hard to get a guy on the street. You kind of go back with the guys that you know. It’s going to be hard to get them through the practice squad, especially if they’ve got a lot of tape. Every team has to deal with that. I’m sure they have the same decisions to make and they like a few guys, too. Typically, teams usually go with the guys they had in camp, as opposed to teaching guys a new system and coming in, unless they really see something.”

Bucs Practice Squad Signings – UPDATED at 1:50pm ET

Here are the Bucs practice squad signings that are publicly known. This list will be constantly updated until the team’s practice squad is assembled.

WRs Cody Thompson and Ryan Miller – reported by Fox Sports’ Greg Auman

QB Michael Pratt – reported by Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds

RB D.J. Williams – reported by Bucs Gameday’s J.C. Allen

DT C.J. Brewer and OLB Daniel Grzesiak– reported by Fox Sports’ Greg Auman

TE Tanner Taula and ILB Vi Jones – reported by Bucs Gameday’s J.C. Allen

DT Mike Greene – reported by Fox Sports’ Greg Auman

S Rashad Wisdom – reported by Bucs Gameday’s J.C. Allen

ILB Antonio Grier Jr. – reported by Bucs Gameday’s J.C. Allen

S Marcus Banks – reported by Bucs Gameday’s J.C. Allen

WR Sterling Shepard – reported by Fox Sports’ Greg Auman

P Seth Vernon – reported by The Draft Network’s Justin Melo

Not Returning To Tampa Bay

One player who will not be returning to the Bucs is second-year cornerback Keenan Isaac, as he was claimed off waivers by the NFC South divisional rival Carolina Panthers.