Wide receiver Arrelious Benn opened his third NFL training camp with a lot of momentum, having excelled in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' preseason program as he and his teammates learned a new offense under Mike Sullivan. Unfortunately, that momentum was halted by a knee injury sustained during the very first camp practice, and he hasn't taken another snap since.
It was generally assumed at the time that Benn would miss the rest of training camp, and unless he makes an unexpected return in the next two days, that will prove true. Head Coach Greg Schiano said that the recovery time would be "more than two weeks," and that the team would re-evaluate Benn's status after camp.
An exact timetable for Benn's return has still not been set, but the receiver has made some visible progress. On Monday and Tuesday he was out on the field during practice, getting in some running for the first time since his injury.
"Yesterday was the first day you saw him so, in the grand scheme of things, he's been out for a while," said Schiano on Tuesday. "So probably a few [more] weeks. I don't know exactly; we'll see how he progresses. But it's good to have him back out there running and that's the first step, getting back on the grass."
Luke Stocker was held out of practice on Tuesday and was not feeling well. Schiano said the second-year tight end will be examined and re-evaluated on Tuesday afternoon, so his status may be more clear on Wednesday. DE E.J. Wilson returned to practice after missing Monday's workout. CB Aqib Talib once again took part in individual-position drills, and rookie safety Mark Barron was a full participant in practice for the second straight day.
