Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cut Super-Bowl Champion Quarterback
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers finalized their 53-man roster on Monday night. The Buccaneers are now focused on filling out the practice squad with an eye on the beginning of the 2024 campaign in less than two weeks.
Interestingly enough, the Buccaneers decided to only carry two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster. According to Fox Sports's Greg Auman, third-string signal-caller John Wolford was among seven final cuts for the franchise to meet the roster limit.
The move came in the wake of the NFLPA vetoing a new rule that would've allowed teams to elevate a quarterback from the practice squad in an emergency role an unlimited amount of times. Instead, the third signal-caller has to be on the 53-man roster or can be part of one of two standard elevatations from the practice squad per week. Players can only be activated three times per season.
This is a similar situation to last year when the Buccaneers released Wolford at the conclusion of training camp. He ended up on the practice squad and the team ultimately called him up in October. Tampa Bay will probably try to keep him around again as long as Wolford isn't claimed off waivers by another franchise.
Though Wolford didn't appear in a game for Tampa Bay last season, he did earn time in two preseason games, relieving Kyle Trask in a win over Cincinnatti and a loss to Jacksonville. In total, he completed 19/32 passes for 183 yards with zero touchdowns and zero interceptions. Wolford didn't see time in the recent finale victory against the Miami Dolphins.
Wolford has familiarity with offensive coordinator Liam Coen after playing under him for three seasons in Los Angeles (2019-20, 2022). He was a member of the Rams when the team won Super Bowl LVI, contributing in a backup role behind Matthew Stafford. Wolford appeared in three games that season, completing 1/4 passes for five yards and an interception. During his time on the West Coast, he completed a total of 61/104 passes for 626 yards with one touchdown to five interceptions in seven appearances, with four starts.
The former Wake Forest star went undrafted in 2018 and began his professional career with the New York Jets. He spent a year in the AAF with the Arizona Hotshots, leading the league in touchdown passes and working his way back to the NFL.
