Buccaneers waive 2024 second-round linebacker Chris Braswell during initial roster cuts

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have waived linebacker Chris Braswell, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, as the team set its initial 53-man roster. Braswell was selected 57th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, and his release is the kind of move that often reshapes how teams evaluate depth, special teams value, and position-group development before the regular season takes full shape.

A waiver at this stage is not the same as an outright termination of a player’s season. When a team waives a player, other NFL clubs have an opportunity to claim him before he clears and becomes free to sign elsewhere. That makes the next 24 to 72 hours a key window for the league’s roster churn, particularly for players who can contribute on defense, on special teams, or as depth at a premium position.

For Tampa Bay, the decision fits the broader rhythm of roster cuts. NFL teams must reduce to a specified roster limit at the start of the regular-season roster window, and clubs typically use those deadlines to separate developmental prospects from those who provide immediate, dependable value. Braswell’s place among the organization’s 2024 class and the way he fits into Tampa Bay’s linebacker rotation will be central to how quickly, and if, another team steps in.

The Buccaneers drafted Braswell in the second round last year, meaning expectations were built in from the start. Second-round picks generally carry both athletic upside and the cost of being a meaningful part of the team-building plan. When such a player is waived in the early phase of a roster cycle, it suggests that, at least in the current evaluation window, Tampa Bay did not see enough separation between Braswell and the group of players the club is prepared to keep active and available.

Roster decisions can also be influenced by how roles evolve in training camp. Even without citing any specific coaching assessment, the practical reality is that linebacker duties span coverage responsibilities, gap integrity, and special teams assignments. Teams often look for players who can do more than one thing, and that versatility can decide roster math when the list must shrink quickly.

For Braswell, the waiver process provides a new fork in the road. If he is claimed, he will join a different defensive room and potentially a different scheme philosophy, with a fresh opportunity to compete for a roster spot. If he clears waivers, Tampa Bay could still choose to pursue him again later through a different contract path, though that outcome is not confirmed by the report. Either way, his development arc is now tied to the market created by other teams’ needs and injury-risk management.