Report: Bucs Adding No. 3 QB To Roster?

At first it appeared as if the Bucs may be in the market for a new No. 3 quarterback, as The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported Monday night that the Rams were expected to sign John Wolford off of Tampa Bay’s practice squad.

The Rams are expected to sign quarterback John Wolford off the Buccaneers practice squad, per sources . He would be rejoining the team after spending the 2020 -2022 seasons with the Rams.

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) October 30, 2023

But an updated report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport says that Wolford plans on staying in Tampa Bay instead. The Bucs plan on elevating him to the 53-man roster to keep him. Tampa Bay will have to make a corresponding roster move to clear a spot for Wolford.

With Rams starting quarterback Matthew Stafford dealing with an injury, they have an immediate need for a familiar face like Wolford. Brett Rypien replaced Stafford during Sunday’s loss to the Cowboys, but it appears that Los Angeles wants a different solution. With Baker Mayfield currently dealing with a knee contusion the Bucs needed to keep Wolford with only backup Kyle Trask as the only other QB currently on the roster.  If the knee issue worsens or Mayfield were to suffer another injury and miss time, Trask would need to start and Wolford’s departure would have left a gap at the backup quarterback position. Now that’s not an issue.

Bucs Like John Wolford As A Backup

Bucs QBs Kyle Trask, Baker Mayfield and John Wolford – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Tampa Bay quarterback room underwent some significant change this offseason, with Tom Brady retiring and the team electing not to bring back backups Blaine Gabbert and Ryan Griffin. The lone holdover was 2021 second-round pick Kyle Trask, as the Bucs went out and signed Baker Mayfield – now their starter – and John Wolford.

The former Wake Forest quarterback was previously with the Rams from 2020-2022 and had proven to be the ideal No. 3 quarterback for the Bucs as new offensive coordinator Dave Canales brought over an offense rooted in the scheme of Rams head coach Sean McVay. Wolford was a good presence in Tampa Bay’s quarterback room as Mayfield and Trask battled for the starting job throughout training camp. At times during camp, Wolford even looked like the best quarterback on the field.

The Bucs have been really high on Wolford all throughout the year. In an appearance on the Pewter Report Podcast this summer, Canales called Wolford “the smartest guy in the room.”

Bucs QB John Wolford – Photo by: USA Today

“John’s fantastic,” Canales said. “He’s for sure – hands down – the smartest guy in the room. It’s not even close. He’s funny. He’s constant … I just love being around him. I heard great things about him through [Seahawks offensive coordinator] Shane [Waldron, who came from the Rams] and so when we had an opportunity to bring him in, he and I had a great conversation, and he came in and killed it.”

In past years, Tampa Bay chose to carry four quarterbacks, with Brady, Gabbert and Trask on the 53-man roster and Griffin on the practice squad. But this year, the team decided to only go into the season with three.

Wolford saw limited time in the preseason with the Bucs, going 10-of-17 for 111 yards and a touchdown against the Steelers before leaving the second exhibition game against the Jets with a neck injury. Before that injury, he was 4-of-4 for 57 yards.