The Tampa Bay Buccaneers placed inside linebacker K.J. Britt on injured reserve on Tuesday after the former Auburn standout sustained an ankle injury in a 21-3 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

The transfer to IR means Britt must miss a minimum of four games before he can return to practice and the active roster.

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Since joining Tampa Bay as a fifth-round selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, Britt has played in every game for the Bucs.

With Devin White and Lavonte David playing every defensive snap at inside linebacker for Tampa Bay this season, Britt has been limited to special-teams work, but he’s one of the most active players in the NFL in that phase of the game.

Britt has been on the field for 141 special-teams plays this season after participating in 372 as a rookie — 324 in the regular season and 48 in the playoffs.

An All-State selection at Oxford High School in 2015 and 2016, Britt earned All-SEC recognition at Auburn in 2019. In 2020, Britt sustained a thumb injury in Auburn’s second game that kept him off the field for the Tigers’ remaining nine contests.

There was better news in the NFL transactions report for Tuesday for another player with Alabama football roots: The Panthers signed former Decatur High School standout Tae Hayes to their active roster.

The cornerback had been on the field for 20 defensive snaps and nine special-teams plays in Carolina’s past two games as a practice-squad elevation.

Each NFL team can elevate two members of its practice squad to active status for each game. But there’s a limit of two elevations per player. Hayes had met his limit, so to continue playing, he needed to be a member of the 53-player active roster.

Hayes has played in eight NFL games for four teams since making his debut in the 2019 season. Earlier this year, Hayes helped the Birmingham Stallions win the inaugural USFL championship.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.