The Buccaneers are now COVID-19 free after removing punter Bradley Pinion from the NFL's reserve/COVID-19 list. Additionally, the team opened up the 21-day practice window for backup offensive lineman Aaron Stinnie .
The Bucs announced both moves Wednesday morning.
Pinion tested positive for COVID-19 the Friday before the Bucs traveled up to New York to take on the Jets. Sterling Hofrichter started in Pinion's stead and handled all of the team's kicking duties, outside of field goals and PATs, obviously.
Pinion has been the Bucs' punter and has been responsible for handling kickoffs since he joined the team in 2019. He was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week after his stellar performance on opening night against the Dallas Cowboys, but has been largely inconsistent since then. He's also been battling a hip injury over the last few weeks before testing positive for COVID-19. Pinion's hip is why the Bucs brought Hofrichter aboard, in the first place.
Stinnie was injured during the first regular season start of his career when he injured his knee against the Indianapolis Colts back in Week 12. Stinnie's potential return is great news for the Bucs. He proved himself to be valuable depth during the 2020 Super Bowl run after Alex Cappa went down in the Wild Card game with a fractured ankle. The Bucs will now decide over the next three weeks when the four-year vet is ready to go and they will add him back to the 53-man roster once that happens.
More must-reads: