TAMPA, Fla. — Breshad Perriman worked with trainers on a side practice field Thursday and Cyril Grayson is doubtful with a hamstring injury. Antonio Brown was released and Chris Godwin is done for the year with a torn ACL.
Tom Brady is running out of targets.
That’s why the Bucs signed well-traveled veteran receiver John Brown to the practice squad Thursday. Brown, or “Smoke” as he is known in NFL circles, was a third-round pick of the Arizona Cardinals in 2014 and played four seasons under Bruce Arians.
Brown, 31, has spent the 2021 season mostly bouncing from the Raiders, Broncos and Jaguars’ practice squads; he did play sparingly in four games. His best season came at Buffalo in 2019 when he caught 72 passes for 1,060 yards and six touchdowns. Brown also played one season for Baltimore in 2018.
To make room for Brown, the Bucs released running back Darwin Thompson.
It’s still unknown why Perriman wasn’t practicing or the nature of his injury. Since joining the Bucs this season, Perriman has 11 catches for 167 yards and a touchdown in six games.
The Bucs already were depleted at the receiver position.
Mike Evans also is still not 100% after the hamstring injury he sustained in the 9-0 loss to New Orleans several weeks ago. The Bucs may have to turn more to players such as Tyler Johnson, Scotty Miller and rookie Jaelon Darden.
