The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are bringing back a familiar face as safety depth grows thin.
The team announced on Tuesday that it is signing safety Kaevon Merriweather off of the Detroit Lions’ practice squad. Merriweather was with the Buccaneers at the beginning of the year and played in three games for the Buccaneers before he was cut on Nov. 18 and subsequently signed with the Lions’ practice squad. Now, he’s been signed off that practice squad and arrives back in Tampa Bay.
The move likely comes in response to Tampa Bay’s deteriorating safety depth. Safety Jordan Whitehead was injured against the New York Giants in Week 12 with a pectoral injury, which sent him to injured reserve — he was replaced by safety Mike Edwards, who was signed after being released by the Tennessee Titans this year, but he injured his hamstring in Week 13 against the Panthers and requires an MRI.
It’s unknown what role Merriweather will play, as he could sub in for Edwards as a starter or he could remain as depth in the event that a replacement at safety, like Tykee Smith or Christian Izien, went down with an injury of their own.
