Tez Johnson
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Tez Johnson.
Nothing has ever come easy for Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie wide receiver Tez Johnson, on any level of football.
Johnson, in turn, has made things easy for the teams he’s played on to keep him on the field despite one thing seeming to always hang over his head — his size.
The Buccaneers are predicted to make history this week by keeping Johnson, a 2025 seventh round pick (No. 235 overall), on their 53-man roster. It would make him the lightest player in NFL history once he steps on the field for their regular season opener at the Atlanta Falcons on September 7.
ESPN’s Jenna Laine put Johnson, 5-foot-10 and 154 pounds, among the 6 wide receivers she believes the Buccaneers will keep headed into the final roster cutdowns on August 26; Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Emeka Egbuka, Sterling Shepard, Ryan Miller and Johnson.
Johnson may have made the final decision easy for the Buccaneers with his electric performance in a 23-19 loss to the Buffalo Bills in Tampa Bay’s preseason finale on August 24 — one that included a backflip that went viral after Johnson caught a touchdown pass.
“Rookie wide receiver Tez Johnson, who missed the first preseason game because of a leg injury, hauled in all eight of his targets for 58 receiving yards and a touchdown and was the player of the game,” Laine wrote.
Buccaneers May Have Signaled Decision on Johnson
One obvious move the Buccaneers made following the loss to the Bills may have been the clearest indicator they plan to keep Johnson on the 53-man roster.
On August 24, the Buccaneers released wide receiver Rakim Jarrett, who had been on the roster the last 2 seasons and made 2 starts in 2024.
“First cut at receiver — Jarrett had just two catches on eight targets in preseason,” Fox Sports NFL Reporter Greg Auman wrote on August 24. “Could easily land on another 53.”
Jarrett was a special teams standout in 2023 and 2024, even settling into a role as a return specialist in 2024. Over the last 2 seasons, Jarrett played in 20 games with 325 all purpose yards. He had 9 receptions for 124 yards in 2024 and made his first 2 career starts.
Season Begins With Several WR Injuries
Godwin’s absence for the first month of the season as he recovers from a dislocated left ankle was anticipated, but an injury to second year wide receiver Jalen McMillan has been surprise, unwelcome news.
McMillan suffered a severely strained neck in a preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on August 16 and is predicted to miss the first 8 games.
“McMillan fell awkwardly on the back of his head and neck area while leaping up to make a catch in the Bucs’ second preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night. McMillan’s body folded in midair after he collided with defensive back Daryl Porter Jr.,” ESPN’s Jenna Laine wrote on August 19. “After being attended to by the medical staff, McMillan was able to walk off the field under his own power before being taken to a local hospital for evaluation, a source said. He was cleared to fly home with the team in a neck brace. Further testing back in Tampa revealed the extent of the injury, which Bowles said ‘shouldn’t be’ career threatening.”