TAMPA, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have demoted defensive tackle Vita Vea and wide receiver Kameron Johnson for Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos.

Vea suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his right knee last week with the Detroit Lions and missed two days of practice before attempting to practice with the knee on Friday. Later that day, he and Johnson, who sustained an ankle injury but attempted to practice on Wednesday, were listed as questionable. Neither was determined to be healthy enough to play on Saturday.

To offset those injuries, the Buccaneers upgraded defensive lineman Mike Greene for the third week in a row and wide receiver Sterling Shepard for the first time this season.

On Friday, the team also signed defensive lineman CJ Brewer, who had been called up in the past two weeks, from the practice squad to the 53-man roster and waived cornerback Keenan Isaac.

The Buccaneers have already been without several key players. Vea’s counterpart, 2023 first-round draft pick Calijah Kancey, has already missed the first two games and will also miss Week 3 with a left calf injury. Right tackle Luke Goedeke will miss his second straight game with a concussion. And All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. will miss his second straight game with an ankle/foot injury.