Buccaneers Reshape Practice Squad Before Deadline

The 3-6 Tampa Bay Buccaneers made a practice-squad change ahead of the NFL trade deadline, releasing running back Barika Kpeenu and re-signing offensive lineman Luke Haggard, who has started four games for the team this season. The move adds versatile line depth after Tampa Bay claimed guard Trevor Keegan, while the team weighs whether to pursue help before the deadline. One report discussed wide receivers George Pickens and Josh Downs as possible targets, while another argued that a receiver would not resolve the offense’s broader passing-game problems and favored a run-first approach, potentially adding a complementary back to ease Bucky Irving’s workload. Despite their record, the Buccaneers remain within half a game of first place in the NFC South.