The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have cut ties with undrafted rookie running back Kadarius Calloway, waiving the 24-year-old with an injury settlement and ending a brief NFL stay that never made it out of training camp.
Calloway signed with Tampa Bay on May 11 after earning a contract from a rookie minicamp tryout.
The New Mexico State product had bounced from East Mississippi Community College to Old Dominion and California before finishing his college career with the Aggies in 2025, rushing 115 times for 438 yards and three touchdowns and adding 26 receptions for 175 yards.
Across his FBS stops, he totaled 1,185 rushing yards on 229 carries (5.2 yards per attempt) and nine rushing scores. He signed a standard three-year undrafted deal worth about $3.1 million, with only $1,000 guaranteed.
He never gained traction. In his only preseason appearance, Calloway managed eight carries for 13 yards — a 1.6-yard average that did little to separate him in a crowded backfield. On Aug. 17 the Buccaneers waived him injured to create a roster spot, then he reverted to injured reserve after clearing waivers.
On Aug. 25 Tampa Bay reached an injury settlement and released him. The nature of the injury was not disclosed. Calloway is now a free agent and can sign with another team once healthy.
The move is typical late-August roster math. Tampa Bay added running back Barika Kpeenu and safety Robert McDaniel when it first waived Calloway and defensive back Marcus Banks.
The Bucs already have established options at running back, and an undrafted rookie who did not produce in limited preseason work was an easy cut once he landed on IR.
For Calloway, the settlement at least gives him a chance to rehab on his own timeline and shop himself around the league rather than sit out the year on Tampa Bay’s injured reserve.
At 6-foot and about 213 pounds with a reported 4.46-second 40-yard dash, Calloway has the size and speed profile teams still look for in a change-of-pace or special-teams back.
Whether that translates in another camp will depend on how quickly he recovers and whether a club needs depth after Week 1.
For now, his first NFL contract is over almost as soon as it began.
