TAMPA - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers placed wide receiver Jalen McMillan on injured reserve Wednesday and signed quarterback Brett Rypien to the practice squad, a pair of moves forced by starter Baker Mayfield’s right thumb injury that will sideline him for at least three games.
McMillan sustained a knee injury on the Buccaneers’ third play from scrimmage Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings and did not return. He must miss at least four games before he is eligible to return to the active roster. It is the second consecutive season in which McMillan has landed on injured reserve - he missed much of the 2025 campaign after suffering a neck injury in a preseason game. He also missed the season opener with a knee injury and saw limited action in Week Two without recording a reception.
A third-round draft pick in 2024, McMillan appeared in 17 games with 14 starts across his first two seasons, catching 49 passes for 639 yards and eight touchdowns.
With Mayfield sidelined, rookie Jalon Daniels will start at quarterback. Rypien, the nephew of former NFL quarterback Mark Rypien, gives Tampa Bay a third available passer alongside Daniels and Easton Stick, who remains on the practice squad and is expected to serve as the primary reserve. Rypien most recently attended training camp with the Baltimore Ravens and has appeared in 11 games with four starts across stints with the Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals. His most extensive action came with Denver in 2022, when he completed 53 of 88 passes for 483 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions over four games with two starts.
The Buccaneers also promoted safety Ifeatu Melifonwu to the active roster Wednesday. Melifonwu had begun the season on the practice squad but was elevated for each of the first three games - the maximum number of elevations allowed for any player by one team in a season - making the promotion necessary for him to continue playing. He logged 51 snaps on special teams over those three games, recording one kick-coverage stop. In five prior NFL seasons, the first four in Detroit and the fifth in Miami, Melifonwu appeared in 53 games with 22 starts, recording 125 tackles, 5.5 sacks, three interceptions and 14 passes defensed. Last weekend he participated in 15 snaps on special teams.