Buccaneers make final cuts to get to 53-man roster

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have put together their initial 2017 53-man roster after making 37 roster moves, including cutting both of their longsnappers and a few relatively high-profile players like veteran receiver Josh Huff, fifth-round pick Jeremy McNichols and Hard Knocks star Riley Bullough (doubtlessly that phone call will be seen on the show).

There were no massive surprises among the cuts, though there was one positive move: Jacquies Smith was activated from PUP, which implies he’ll be ready to play relatively early in the regular season.

The Bucs will likely make two more moves tomorrow: they’ll re-sign one of their two longsnappers, either Garrison Sanborn or Andrew DePaola, and place quarterback Ryan Griffin on injured reserve—something they couldn’t do before tomorrow because he’s not a vested veteran and would have to go through the waiver system.

While these are the team’s final roster cuts, these probably won’t be the team’s final moves this weekend. In addition to the two predictable moves mentioned above, they’ll probably pick up a few more players off waivers and make some corresponding cuts.

In addition, the team will have to put together a ten-man practice squad (plus an 11th player in the form of international player/trainee Eric Nzeocha, who they get an extra spot for). Mostly those will be young, inexperienced players with some potential.

Here’s the full list of moves, from Buccaneers.com.

Waived

DE Mehdi Abdesmad

G Josh Allen

DE Sterling Bailey

DE Tavaris Barnes

LB Richie Brown

LB Riley Bullough

CB Mariel Cooper

WR Donteea Dye

DE Hendrick Ekpe

RB Russell Hansbrough

CB Vernon Harris

G Jarvis Harrison

WR Shaq Hill

K Zach Hocker

WR Josh Huff

S Marqueston Huff

FB Austin Johnson

S Isaiah Johnson

T Korren Kirven

LB Jeff Knox

G Michael Liedtke

T Marquis Lucas

WR Freddie Martino

RB Jeremy McNichols

CB Jonathan Moxey

LB Eric Nzeocha * (international player who will spend the season on the practice squad)

CB Cody Riggs

G James Stone

WR Derel Walker

TE Tevin Westbrook

WR Bobo Wilson

Waived/Injured

QB Sefo Liufau

Released (Vested Veteran)

LS Andrew DePaola

DE George Johnson

LS Garrison Sanborn

Placed on Injured Reserve:

DE DaVonte Lambert

DT Stevie Tu'ikolovatu

Placed on Reserve/Suspended List

RB Doug Martin