The newest Bucs CB could cut short the tenure of Myron Lewis, Anthony Gaitor or Leonard Johnson.

It’s a crazy life in the NFL. Guys are cut one day and then make big plays in games the next. Bucs cornerback Brandon McDonald is a perfect example. The veteran was signed in late August, cut in September, re-signed Wednesday, and he was the Bucs’ nickel cornerback in Sunday’s beat-down of the Panthers. Wearing No. 33, McDonald was swarming around the ball. The journeyman was a fifth-round pick of the Browns in 2007, and the Bucs are his fourth team. Joe caught up to McDonald in the locker room.

JoeBucsFan.com: You were fired up after you made a couple of tackles [Sunday]? Do you like to bring that kind of emotion?

Brandon McDonald: You know, I’m an emotional guy. Anytime I can help my football team. They put me into that position to make those plays, so you know everybody’s got a key role in this defense and I’m just trying to do my best and hold up my end.

Joe: You were released with the Bucs’ final cuts and then you were re-signed. Can you talk about your feelings with all that and then you played a lot today.

McDonald:  I’ve been released before, released from the Browns, released from Detroit. And then I ended up finishing that year [with Detriot]. So it’s not a process I’m new to. It was a business decision the Bucs had to make. Thank God that they brought me back so I could show them that I could help this team win some football games.

Joe: You seemed all over the place today. Did you feel like you played well?

McDonald: I’m just trying to go out there and do my job the best I can. I had a few tackles. There were some things I did well. There are things I need to fix and things to do better. I’ll make those corrections, and we’ll make those corrections as a team and come out and try and get a win in New York.

Joe: Does this defense remind you of any others you’ve played on? How would you describe this Bucs defense?

McDonald: Nickel, the scheme of things and cover 2 is pretty much the same. I just gotta get the terminology down, which is different from team to team, and I should be good. There wasn’t a real big transition for me here.