With the 2020 NFL Season concluding last weekend, all waiver claims made during the postseason were processed on Monday. This means that former Tampa Bay Bucs linebacker Chapelle Russell, who Jacksonville claimed on Jan. 11, is now officially a member of the roster.
Russell, a seventh-round pick by the Buccaneers last year, was released on Jan. 8 ahead of the team’s Wild Card matchup with the Washington Football Team to clear space for linebacker Deone Bucannon.
The Bucs initially released Russell during final roster cuts last offseason but signed him to the practice squad. They promoted him to the 53-man roster on Oct. 13.
The former Temple player appeared in 11 games as a rookie but didn’t record a stat with most of his time coming on special teams. Jacksonville will hope Russell can develop into a defensive depth player, an area the team was sorely lacking in last season.