Bucs will add free agent Cole Beasley to Tom Brady’s depleted receiving corps

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers bolster their exhausted receiving corps with free agent Cole Beasley, who hasn’t signed for most of last season since arguing with the NFL over its vaccine protocols.

Beasley’s agent has confirmed to DailyMail.com that the Bucs will add Beasley to their practice squad but plan to move him to the 53-man roster in the coming days. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo was the first to report the Beasley acquisition.

The move certainly fills a need for Tampa Bay and quarterback Tom Brady.

The Bucs (2-0) recently lost Pro Bowl Mike Evans wide to a one-game suspension for his on-field skirmish with New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore on Sunday.

Tampa Bay is already without asset Julio Jones, who missed Sunday’s victory over the Saints with a knee problem. In addition, Chris Godwin is struggling with hamstring problems after his 2021 season was cut short by a torn ACL.

Tom Brady is suddenly short of receivers after two injuries and a suspension

Beasley, who has excelled at the slot for both the Dallas Cowboys and Bills in his 10-year career, is now 33 and is coming off a solid season at Buffalo, where he made his career high with 82 receptions.

The 2021 season was also notable for Beasley as he was fined more than $100,000 for violations of the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols. One of the fines, for $14,600, was set in August last year when NFL officials were at the Bills’ training facility and saw the unvaccinated Beasley not wearing a mask.

Beasley has been outspoken in his views on the COVID-19 vaccination mandates. He tested positive for the virus in December and had to stay away from the Bills for 10 days, according to protocol.

In September 2021, Beasley and Bills teammate Reid Ferguson both offered to buy tickets for fans to away games, as Buffalo demanded proof of the injection for all spectators at Highmark Stadium in New York’s Orchard Park.

The players told unvaccinated fans via social media that if they bought tickets to a road game, the players would pick up the tab.

Although he has personally declined to be vaccinated, Beasley said in August 2021 that he is not for or against the injection, but rather sees himself as ‘pro-choice’ and against all mandates.

The Bucs (2-0) recently lost Mike Evans to the Pro Bowl on a one-game suspension for his on-field skirmish with New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore on Sunday

Tampa Bay is already without asset Julio Jones (left), who missed Sunday’s win over the Saints with a knee problem. In addition, Chris Godwin (right) is battling hamstring problems after his 2021 season was cut short by a torn ACL

Since then, New York State and the NFL have suspended most of the protocols Beasley objected to.

The NFL suspended all aspects of its COVID-19 protocols in March as the number of infections began to decline.

In an agreement with the players’ association, the league sent a memo to the 32 teams stating “encouraging trends regarding the prevalence and severity of COVID-19, the CDC’s evolving guidelines, changes to state law and the Board of Directors.” our respective experts’ as reasons for the move.

Should the NFL find reasons to re-impose certain aspects of the protocols, it will do so in conjunction with the NFL Players Association.

Teams must comply with state and local laws and may “take reasonable steps to protect their staff and players,” the memo said.

In September 2021, Beasley and Bills teammate Reid Ferguson both offered to buy tickets for fans to away games as Buffalo demanded proof of the injection for all spectators at Highmark Stadium in New York’s Orchard Park.