Bucs Lose One other Defender To Injured Reserve

For the second time this coaching camp, the Bucs have misplaced a promising rookie defensive participant to a season-ending knee damage. Tampa Bay defensive again J.J. Roberts suffered a big knee damage on particular groups within the Bucs’ joint observe session on Thursday in Pittsburgh.

In the course of the first week of coaching camp the Bucs additionally misplaced rookie outdoors linebacker David Walker, the staff’s fourth-round decide, to a season-ending knee damage. Walker, who was destined to make the staff and play fairly a bit as an edge rusher, was positioned on injured reserve consequently.

Pewter Report has discovered that the identical destiny will occur to Roberts, who was additionally in line to make the 53-man roster on account of his spectacular offseason, coaching camp and his preseason debut during which he broke up two passes versus Tennessee – one in every of which led to an interception by cornerback Tyrek Funderburk.

J.J. Roberts’ Promising Season With The Bucs Is Over Simply As It Started

The Bucs had a draftable grade on former Marshall security J.J. Roberts and had him in for an official 30 go to previous to the 2025 NFL Draft. Roberts wound up signing as a precedence undrafted free agent with the staff, and $300,000 of his rookie contract is absolutely assured, based on OverTheCap.com. The staff liked his versatility, which was demonstrated within the OTAs and in coaching camp by enjoying each nickel cornerback and each security positions.

Roberts had an excellent NFL debut in Tampa Bay’s 29-7 preseason win over the visiting Tennessee Titans final Saturday night time. He had two move breakups versus the Titans and likewise had an interception in coaching camp. Roberts was probably going to make the staff because the third or fourth security, and was difficult fellow rookie cornerback Jacob Parrish, the staff’s third-round decide, for the beginning function within the slot.

Bucs DB J.J. Roberts – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR

How J.J. Roberts’ Damage Impacts The Bucs’ Depth In The Secondary

Not solely was J.J. Roberts in line to be on the very least the backup nickelback this season, however he additionally may have supplied depth at security. Antoine Winfield Jr. and Tykee Smith are the beginning safeties with Christian Izien being the highest reserve on account of his versatility.

Like Roberts, Izien, who has had a really robust camp, can play nickelback and both security place. Now Izien figures to obtain extra enjoying time with out Roberts accessible for his rookie season.

Roberts was competing for a spot on the secondary depth chart primarily with reserve safeties Kaevon Merriweather, Rashad Knowledge and fellow undrafted free agent Shilo Sanders. Now every of these gamers has a extra viable path to creating the roster with one much less participant in competitors for what may very well be the ultimate security spot behind Winfield, Smith and Izien.

Bucs S Kaevon Merriweather – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR

Merriweather, who has two interceptions in coaching camp, has expertise on his facet. He’s coming into his third yr in Todd Bowles protection and spent final yr on the energetic roster after spending a while on the observe squad as a rookie.

Knowledge was on the observe squad all of his rookie season in 2024, whereas Sanders has had an excellent coaching camp and made just a few performs in his NFL debut final week in opposition to Tennessee.

With Roberts’ damage the Bucs may wish to get a take a look at new cornerback JayVian Farr, an undrafted free agent out of Augustana, at nickelback in addition to outdoors cornerback. Farr was signed this week on account of accidents on the place, as Tampa Bay seems to be with out Benjamin Morrison, Josh Hayes and Roman Parodie for Saturday night time’s sport in Pittsburgh. All three of these cornerbacks missed observe this week.