Bucs Open 21-Day Practice Window For WR On IR

The Bucs are taking a step toward to getting another wide receiver back on the field, opening the 21-day practice window for David Sills V as he works his way back from a hamstring injury.

The Bucs announce the move Monday, allowing Sills to begin practicing with the team when Tampa Bay returns to the field Wednesday. Sills has been on injured reserve since late August and has missed the first five games of the 2026 season. He missed a lot of training camp as well along with the start of this year.

Tampa Bay now has three weeks to evaluate Sills before deciding whether to activate him to the 53-man roster or keep him on injure reserve for the rest of the season. Opening the window does not guarantee his return to game action, but it gives the veteran receiver an opportunity to demonstrate that he is healthy enough to contribute.

Sills’ potential return could provide some welcome depth to a receiving corps that has already taken a hit this season. The Bucs placed wide receiver Jalen McMillan on injured reserve on Sept. 30 with a knee injury, further thinning the team’s options at the position.

Sills signed a one-year contract with Tampa Bay in April after spending the 2025 season with the Atlanta Falcons. His familiarity with offensive coordinator Zac Robinson’s system was a big reason why the move was made.

Sills enjoyed the most productive season of his NFL career in Atlanta, recording 18 receptions for 191 yards and two touchdowns while appearing in all 17 regular-season games. He also had a particularly productive outing against Tampa Bay, catching six passes for 78 yards in the Falcons’ one-point victory over the Bucs.

The 6-foot-3, 211-pound receiver has appeared in 33 career NFL games, making 11 starts and recording 31 receptions for 315 yards and two touchdowns. Before joining Atlanta, he spent time with the New York Giants and Denver Broncos.

Sills will have to prove he can return to full health and earn a spot in Tampa Bay’s offensive rotation. His size and previous experience in Robinson’s offense could make him a useful option as the Bucs work to get healthier at wide receiver.

For now, the opening of his practice window is the first step. Tampa Bay has 21 days to determine whether Sills is ready to make his Buccaneers debut.The Bucs have struggled on offense thus far in the season. But maybe their win on Thursday night football, where they scored over 20 points for the first time since Week 1, could spark something for the group.

It’s difficult to decipher how much Sills would even end up playing with Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin Jr. leading the way. Plus, the other player with size like Sills in Ted Hurst III has had somewhat of an impact in his rookie year, most notably scoring a 41-yard touchdown back in Week 3.

Nonetheless, Tampa Bay could always use the depth that Sills can bring to the team. The Bucs just found their first win of the season, and believe it or not, are only one game out of first place in the NFC South despite a 1-4 record.

With division play on the horizon in just two weeks, they’ll need to find a way to beat the Steelers at home this Sunday and keep pace in order to make anything out of this season.