TAMPA — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed second-year wide receiver and kick returner Jha’Quan Jackson on Wednesday afternoon, adding a proven return specialist to the 91-man training camp roster ahead of Friday night’s preseason finale against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium.
To make room, the Buccaneers waived wide receiver Dennis Houston with an injury designation after Houston sustained a groin injury in the team’s second preseason game against Kansas City last Saturday night. Houston caught two passes for 23 yards across the first two preseason contests.
Jackson (5-9, 188) was waived by the Houston Texans on Monday after recording two receptions for nine yards, one kickoff return for 27 yards and one punt return for eight yards in two preseason games. A sixth-round draft pick by the Tennessee Titans out of Tulane in 2024, Jackson appeared in 12 games for Tennessee as a rookie, returning 28 punts for 215 yards and 16 kickoffs for 412 yards. He also caught one pass for eight yards and ran once for a loss of five yards.
Jackson was waived by the Titans at the end of the preseason last year and spent one week on the New Orleans Saints’ practice squad. He played for the St. Louis Battlehawks of the UFL from January through March of this offseason before landing with Houston’s camp.
The Buccaneers are not expected to play any starters in the preseason finale Friday night and will likely rest key regulars including Chris Godwin Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan and Tez Johnson. Kameron Johnson and rookie Ted Hurst III may also sit. Jackson would join a receiving group that could include David Sills V, Dean Patterson IV, Eric Rivers Jr. and Garrett Greene.
Friday’s game at EverBank Stadium marks the final opportunity for Jackson and other roster-bubble players to make an impression before the Buccaneers must trim their roster to the regular-season limit.