Punter Trenton Gill and WR Sterling Shepard elevated for Eagles game

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed punter Trenton Gill and wide receiver Sterling Shepard from the practice squad on Saturday, making both players eligible for Sunday’s Week 4 game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Additionally, tackle Luke Goedeke, who remains in the concussion protocol, was downgraded to out on the injury report. Running back Rachaad White was placed on the report and listed as questionable due to an illness.

The NFL introduced the practice squad increase option in 2020, allowing teams to activate up to two practice squad players for each game. By utilizing both options in week four, the Buccaneers increased their game day roster to 55 players for their matchup against the Eagles. They will be able to keep 48 of these players active for the game and designate seven inactive players before kickoff.

Each player on the practice squad can be promoted up to three times during the regular season and an unlimited number of times during the postseason. After the game, senior players automatically return to the practice squad without having to go through waivers. This is the first survey for Gill and the second for Shepard.

Raising Gill gives the Bucs two players on the active roster for Sunday’s game, although only one will likely be active. Third-year player Jake Camarda has taken on that role in the first three games, posting a gross punting average of 45.7 yards and a net average of 39.8 yards. Gill was signed to the Buccaneers’ practice squad on Tuesday. Gill, a seventh-round draft pick by Chicago in 2022, spent the last two seasons as the Bears’ punter, averaging 46.1 yards per punt with a 38.5 net. This summer he went to training camp with the Denver Broncos.

The Bucs needed reinforcements in the receiving corps after rookie Jalen McMillan suffered a hamstring injury in practice on Friday and was subsequently listed on the injury report as questionable for Sunday’s game. In addition, rookie wide receiver Kameron Johnson is questionable due to an ankle injury. Shepard joined the Buccaneers in June after spending eight seasons with the New York Giants in which he caught 372 passes for 4,095 yards and 23 touchdowns.

The option to increase the training squad was introduced as part of the new collective agreement in 2020. The new rule was something of a compromise, as it did not expand active rosters beyond 53 players, but did give teams a few more options on game days. especially when it comes to dealing with injuries.