As the final 53-man rosters are announced like clockwork in the NFL, the excitement is building for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Among the players on the club’s roster are two 2024 undrafted free agents who made it: receiver Kameron Johnson and cornerback Tyrek Funderburk. Both earned a coveted spot with their performances during practice, and their performance was even more impressive considering the respective injuries they suffered.
Johnson, a Barton College product, has recovered from a rib injury and impressed in joint practice last week as well as in the team’s final preseason game against the Dolphins. He played a key role in misleading the Bucs before the snap and creating sweeps, end-arounds and screens. Johnson may not be the biggest receiver, but he surprises defenders with his speed and an outstanding vertical leap (37 inches) to throw the ball high. Johnson can stretch the field vertically and horizontally and keep defenses in check. He gets off breaks quickly and is a fluid route runner.
Johnson attended Barton College, a Division II program in Wilson, North Carolina, and was part of the school’s first football team when the program restarted in 2020. In 2023, Johnson posted 51 catches for 875 yards and seven touchdowns. During OTAs, Johnson caught the eye of veteran Chris Godwin after making several contested catches on the practice field.
“He’s worked his ass off to earn this spot,” Godwin said. “So I couldn’t be more excited for him, but when you see the work he does, it makes sense. You could tell early on, the way he tracks the ball is at a high level. He has a great eye for detail when he runs routes and he’s tough.”
Funderburk, the cornerback from Appalachian State, made countless spectacular plays during offseason workouts before injuring his foot. However, coaches saw more than enough from the small sample size to give him a spot on the roster. Funderburk made several interceptions and the 6-foot-4, 185-pound defensive back showed a ball-chasing mentality and anticipation skills.
In 2023, Funderburk was tied with the Sun Belt all-time leader with four interceptions, including a 23-yard interception return and an 18-yard return for a touchdown. With his fluid transitions and drive to jump the ball to get routes, Funderburk fits the scheme of Todd Bowles’ aggressive defense.
“With Funderburk, we saw him in the spring and summer and right when he came in, and he’s a good football player,” Bowles said. “We knew right away that he had a hell of a chance to make this team.”
