RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 21: Gavin Sawchuk #27 of the Florida State Seminoles is tackled by Caden Fordham #1 of the NC State Wolfpack during the first half of a football game at Carter-Finley Stadium on November 21, 2025 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images) Getty
Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie UDFA linebacker Caden Fordham was one of the fun stories of the offseason when he made the initial 53-man roster. However, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers waived him about 48 hours later. His release is a reminder that the NFL is consistently moving and that you can only celebrate for so long.
The Bucs claimed cornerback Kevin Knowles on waivers, and they released Fordham as the subsequent move.
GettyCaden Fordham #1 of the NC State Wolfpack
Fordham entered training camp as a long shot to make the roster. However, he continued to ascend. He played 100 snaps for the Bucs in the preseason, proving himself over the playing time.
Fordham racked up eight tackles and a pressure. He finished with a 67.5 PFF grade. More than that, he excelled on 29 special teams snaps. He finished with an 80.3 special teams grade.
Head coach Todd Bowles made it clear that he was a rising player.
"Asked for a name that stood out to him in Friday's preseason opener, Bowles offers up Caden Fordham, undrafted rookie linebacker from N.C. State. "Had a heck of a ballgame," tweeted Greg Auman of Fox Sports.
So, the Bucs were prepared to move forward with him.
However, they are a bit thinner at cornerback than they are in the linebacker room. Beyond that, Knowles played over 200 special teams snaps for the Kansas City Chiefs last year. So, the rookie UDFA started to become more expendable.
Tampa Bay is going to hope that he can clear waivers and circle back to their special teams. On one hand, most teams have now set their rosters, and it would be harder to make a claim for Fordham. On the other hand, there are fewer players on the wire to review now, so there is more attention on Fordham passing through waivers.
The Bucs only added Fordham because of his special teams value. They were deep at linebacker. They signed Alex Anzalone and Christian Rozeboom in free agency, and both were starters on their team last season. Anzalone will start for the Bucs, while Rozeboom will be depth.
The Bucs also drafted Josiah Trotter in the second round. For as exciting as Fordham has been, Trotter has been even more intriguing. They also have SirVocea Dennis , who started for the Bucs last season.
Meanwhile, the Bucs are a bit thinner at cornerback. They had to place both Pepe Williams and Josh Hayes on the injured list.
Rookie UDFA Ayden Garnes made the team at cornerback due to the lack of depth. The Bucs have Garnes and Benjamin Morrison as depth, with Zyon McCollum and Jacob Parrish starting.
Keionte Scott will play the slot, but he is also a safety. Beyond that, he is a rookie fourth-round pick. Knowles is a slot defender, so he would be the direct backup to Scott. He also would be one of the few players who is only a slot cornerback, without versatility elsewhere. So, his need and role are more valuable than Fordham's, who had a great offseason.
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