Heading into the weekend, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers waived wide receiver Deven Thompkins with an injury designation after serving two seasons as their primary kick returner. Thompkins, who appeared in 22 games for Tampa Bay, caught 22 passes and scored one touchdown during his tenure.
Thompkins joined the Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent following the 2022 NFL Draft from Utah State. He quickly established himself as a dynamic presence on special teams, taking on the role of the team’s primary return specialist. Since 2022, Thompkins has returned 31 punts with an average of 9.5 yards per return and 28 kickoffs with an average of 21.1 yards per return.
With two weeks of OTA practices completed and one remaining, Thompkins’ release opens up a spot on the Buccaneers’ 91-man roster. General Manager Jason Licht is expected to fill this vacancy in the coming weeks. There is speculation that rookie receiver Jalen McMillan, who has taken reps fielding kicks and punts during OTAs, might step into the role of kickoff and punt returner, but no official decision has been made yet.
Stay tuned for more updates on the Buccaneers and all your favorite teams as news develops!
