December 29 Updates
The Buccaneers will be without Shaquil Barrett, the outside linebacker who has played the most defensive snaps for them in 2023, for their showdown against the Saints on Sunday. They will primarily rely on Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Anthony Nelson to pick up the slack.
Barrett, who has been on the field for 620 defensive plays this season, roughly 41 per game, has been ruled out for Sunday's game due to a groin injury he sustained in the Bucs' Week 16 win over Jacksonville. He is one of three players Head Coach Todd Bowles identified as unable to go against the Saints, along with starting cornerback Carlton Davis (concussion) and tight end Ko Kieft (shoulder).
The Buccaneers kept six outside linebackers on their 53-man roster this season, one or two more than the usual number simply because they felt they had a depth of talent at the spot. That does not include sixth-round draft pick Jose Ramirez, who has spent the season on the practice squad. Barrett will be the first one of those six OLBs to miss a game due to injury in 2023, and even with his absence the Buccaneers are comfortable with what they have available for Sunday's game.
"We usually get by with four, so five is a luxury and six is a bonus," said Bowles.
Tryon-Shoyinka and Nelson have logged 52% and 38% snap shares on defense but will likely combine to absorb the work load usually given to Barrett. Tryon-Shoyinka started the first 11 games of the season before being surpassed by rookie third-rounder Yaya Diaby, who leads the team with 6.5 sacks. He has 4.0 sacks, six quarterback hits and seven tackles for loss on the season, while Nelson has contributed 3.0 sacks, six QB hits and six tackles for loss.
Bowles declined to indicate which of the two is the likely starter for Sunday, but that's probably less important than how many snaps they log overall.
"They've both got to be ready to play, depending on the package," said Bowles.
The Buccaneers also have Cam Gill and Markees Watts available to rotate in as edge rushers. Gill played just eight defensive snaps in last Sunday's game while Watts was inactive.
December 27 Updates
Cornerback Carlton Davis came out of the Buccaneers' Week 16 win over Jacksonville after just 10 snaps in order to be evaluated for a concussion. He was, in fact, deemed to have suffered that injury, and he did not return to the game. That automatically put Davis into the NFL's concussion protocol, and that was ongoing, as he was not cleared for practice to start the week on Wednesday.
Davis was one of three players noted by Head Coach Todd Bowles who didn't practice on Wednesday. Outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett was held out due to a groin injury and tight end Ko Kieft was sidelined by a shoulder ailment.
The Buccaneers have designated defensive lineman Mike Greene for return from injured reserve, beginning a 21-day window in which Greene can practice with the team without counting against the 53-man roster limit. Greene can be activated to the roster at any point during those three weeks, at which point the Bucs would have to make a corresponding move to open up one of those 53 spots. If Greene is activated by Saturday he would be eligible to play against the Saints on Sunday.
An undrafted free agent who spent his entire 2022 rookie season on the Bucs' practice squad, Greene broke the preseason in 2023 on the active roster and played in the first 10 games, including a pair of starts in Weeks Two and Three. He has contributed six tackles this season. He was placed on injured reserve on December 1 due to a calf injury and has since missed the required minimum of four games before he could be activated.
Greene is one of just four players on the Buccaneers' injury report as Week 16 begins. One of the other three, rookie wide receiver Rakim Jarrett, is also in the midst of his 21-day window after being designated to return on December 20. The other two, center Ryan Jensen and wide receiver Russell Gage, were placed on I.R. prior to the roster cutdown to 53 and are thus not eligible to return this season.
CLICK HERE to review the Buccaneers' 2023 transactions.
December 21 Updates
The Buccaneers' injury report for Thursday of Week 16 was even more encouraging than the one released the day before. While wide receiver Chris Godwin went from limited to non-participation, that was only due to a prescribed day of rest. Meanwhile, nose tackle Vita was upgraded on the report to full participation after being limited on Wednesday. And that marked Vea's first full-participation practice since Friday of Week 13, which was December 1.
Vea then suffered a toe injury in the team's win over Carolina two days later. He did not practice at all the following week and was eventually inactive for the game in Atlanta. He also did not practice in Week 15 as the Bucs prepared for the Packers, and he was originally listed as doubtful on the Friday injury report. However, shortly before taking off for Green Bay on Saturday, Vea was upgraded to questionable, which indicated his toe was feeling better. In this case, he did get cleared to play and helped the Buccaneers beat the Packers, 34-20.
Now he's back to full participation in practice, and that's a promising sign for Sunday's home game against Jacksonville.
CLICK HERE for a more detailed look at the Buccaneers' Thursday injury report.
December 20 Updates
Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield added another award to his NFC Offensive Player of the Week win on Wednesday, as he was also named the FedEx Air Player of the Week for Week 15. While the first honor was selected by NFL officials, the Air award was the result of fan voting. Mayfield won over fellow nominees Jared Goff of the Lions and Joe Flacco of the Browns.
Mayfield completed 22 of 28 passes for 381 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions in the Bucs' 34-20 victory in Green Bay on Sunday, becoming the first visiting quarterback in the history of Lambeau Field to compile a perfect 158.3 passer rating. It was the third "perfect game" by an NFL quarterback this season and the third in Buccaneers history.
Mayfield is the first Buccaneer quarterback to be voted the FedEx Air Player of the Week since Tom Brady in Week 17 of last year. Brady also won the award in Weeks One and Two of the 2021 season and was eventually selected as the Air Player of the Year that season. Other Tampa Bay quarterbacks to win the award were Chris Simms in Week 10 of the 2005 season, Josh Freeman in Weeks 16 and 17 of the 2010 season and Ryan Fitzpatrick in Week One of the 2018 season.
CLICK HERE to hear Mayfield discuss his Player of the Week award, the Jaguars' defense and more.
December 19 Updates
The Buccaneers switched out one spot on their 16-man practice squad on Tuesday to start Week 16, re-signing linebacker Vi Jones and releasing long-snapper Evan Deckers.
Jones was previously on the Bucs' practice squad for Weeks 12-14 after first signing with the team on November 22. He was then released last Tuesday, making room for the Deckers signing. Prior to coming to Tampa, Jones (6-3, 233) went to training camp with the Seattle Seahawks this summer before being waived with an injury settlement. An undrafted rookie in 2022 out of North Carolina State, he spent most of his rookie season on Seattle's practice squad but appeared in three games, playing on special teams.
Deckers went to training camp with the Buccaneers after signing with the team as an undrafted free agent out of Duke. He was waived in the final roster cutdown and did not sign with any other teams before returning to Tampa last week. The Buccaneers brought Deckers in as insurance in case their long-snapper, Zach Triner, was unable to play in Green Bay due to an elbow injury. Triner was held out of practice on Wednesday and Thursday but was able to return on Friday and played in Sunday's game without incident.
CLICK HERE to review all of the Buccaneers' transactions in 2023.
December 15 Updates
The Buccaneers have six defensive starters plus wide receiver Chris Godwin and long-snapper Zach Triner on their Week 15 injury report, but only two of those eight have definitively been ruled out for Sunday's game in Green Bay.
After the final practice of the week on Friday, Head Coach Todd Bowles revealed that cornerback Carlton Davis (groin) and defensive lineman Will Gholston (knee/ankle) will be unavailable on Sunday.
"Davis and Gholston will be out," said Bowles. "Everybody else will be game day."
Bowles indicated that defensive lineman Vita Vea, the Bucs' sack leader, did not practice on Friday, meaning he has not gotten any field work in this week. Vea missed the Bucs' Week 14 game in Atlanta due to a toe injury. However, Bowles said he has not yet been ruled out for the Packers game and will be a game day decision. The same is true for linebacker Devin White (foot).
The Bucs will also have to make a decision at long-snapper, where there is no redundancy on the active roster. Zach Triner (elbow) didn't practice on Wednesday and Thursday, and though he got in some work on Friday he is also a game day decision. If the Buccaneers want to have long-snapper Evan Deckers, recently signed to the practice squad, available on Sunday they will have to either promote to the active roster or use a practice squad elevation spot on him by Saturday.
December 13 Updates
Baker Mayfield's first season as the Buccaneers' quarterback has a lot still to be sorted out. Tampa Bay is tied for first in the NFC South with four games to go and would win the division by sweeping that last month. It's meaningful football in December and January, and that's what every player wants.
And it's going to go by quick.
"I think just in the situation we've been put in, and that we've put ourselves in, guys have really woken up and realized, 'Alright, we only have this amount of time left together,'" said Mayfield. "Every year is different. Guys leave and it changes. Take advantage of this opportunity with each other, continue to grow and fight for each other."
The Bucs shifted into "playoff-mode mentality" two weeks ago, considering every week a potential elimination game. So far, they've staved off that elimination with wins over Carolina and Atlanta, and suddenly a third straight division title and an opening-round playoff game are well within reach.
"The goal is still the goal, and it's still right there in front of us," said Mayfield. "Don't lose sight of that. Then just the sense of urgency, like we talked about a couple of weeks ago. You can tell guys are even more attentive to details. You can feel the energy for sure."
Mayfield's first season with the Buccaneers could be his only season with the Buccaneers, as he signed to a one-year deal in the offseason. Tampa Bay had played the previous three seasons with Tom Brady at the helm of the offense, and the five before that with former first-overall pick Jameis Winston. The 2023 season was always going to be one of transition for the Buccaneers, who also brought in a new offensive coordinator in Dave Canales, but at some point the team will be looking for a lasting solution at the quarterback position. Given his play in 2023, that could be Mayfield, but that's not a decision he is worrying about right now. He has, however, definitely enjoyed his experience in Tampa so far.
"I love it here," said Mayfield. "That's a big reason why I chose to come here – organization-wise, the team, the guys, everybody around. I'm having fun playing football. I'm enjoying that. That's something that, if you get a chance to pick or choose, this is a good place to be. But I'm a firm believer that everything happens as it should and how it's supposed to. Take care of business here and we will see what happens. To get to that point, winning games will help everything, so that's where I'm at."
CLICK HERE to hear more of Mayfield's thoughts in Week 15.
December 8 Updates
The Buccaneers played their last two games without their most tenured player and team captain, but it appears that absence won't be extended to a third straight game. Linebacker Lavonte David practiced without limitations all week and is expected to be back in action when the Buccaneers take on the Falcons in Atlanta on Sunday.
Head Coach Todd Bowles knows what a difference David can make, in more ways than one.
"It's big from a leadership standpoint because he's one of the guys we look to on defense – especially the younger guys," said Bowles after practice on Friday. "He makes a bunch of plays, as well, so it helps us out a lot."
David is the Buccaneers' leading tackler, even after missing those two games, with 90 stops. He also leads the team with 14 tackles for loss and has contributed 3.0 sacks, three passes defensed and a forced fumble. He's also in his 10th straight season as a team captain.
Tampa Bay played most of their Week 13 win over Carolina with safety Ryan Neal out of position at linebacker because David, Devin White and SirVocea Dennis were alll out due to injuries or illness and replacement starter K.J. Britt suffered a back injury in the first quarter. David did not practice for two full weeks due to a groin injury he suffered in San Francisco in Week 11.
Bowles said White will not return from his foot injury this week. He also ruled out cornerback Jamel Dean for a third straight game due to ankle and foot injuries.
CLICK HERE for more of Coach Bowles' thoughts after practice on Friday.
December 6 Updates
On Monday, Head Coach Todd Bowles sounded a cautiously optimistic note that team captain Lavonte David could potentially return to action in Week 14 after missing two games due to a groin injury.
"Hopefully, Lavonte will be close," said Bowles. "We'll see if he makes progress this week, so that will be a big plus for us."
On Wednesday, it became clear that David has indeed made progress. As is common late in the season, the Buccaneers replaced their full-speed practice on Wednesday with more of a game-planning jog-through, so David wasn't asked to fully let it loose. But the injury report estimation of what level of participation he would have had if it had been a full-speed practice was an encouraging "full participation."
David suffered his injury late in the Bucs' Week 11 game in San Francisco and did not take part in any practices in Weeks 12 and 13. Because Devin White is also dealing with a foot injury and rookie SirVocea Dennis was laid up by an illness last week, the Bucs went into last Sunday's game against Carolina with only two active off-ball linebackers, K.J. Britt and J.J. Russell. Britt promptly suffered a back injury in the first quarter, forcing safety Ryan Neal to play linebacker the rest of the way.
The Bucs could be much closer to full strength at the position this coming Sunday in Atlanta. In addition to David's progress, Dennis was back in action on Wednesday and Britt took part in the practice on a limited basis. Only White was unable to practice at all, though Russell missed the workout due to personal reasons.
David is the Buccaneers' leading tackler, with 90 stops, and he also has a team-high 14 tackles for loss to go with 3.0 sacks, three quarterback hits, three passes defensed and a forced fumble.
CLICK HERE to hear Todd Bowles' thoughts on injured players and other matters after practice on Wednesday.
December 6 Updates
On Wednesday, the Buccaneers re-signed defensive lineman C.J. Brewer to their practice squad. Brewer filled an open spot on that 16-man unit created when defensive lineman Pat O'Connor was promoted to the active roster last Friday.
Brewer first signed with the Buccaneers in May after taking part in the team's rookie minicamp on a tryout contract. He went to training camp in Tampa and played in all three games, recording two tackles, one tackle for loss and one quarterback hit. He spent the first 10 weeks of the season on the Bucs' practice squad before being released on November 15.
Brewer originally entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Coastal Carolina with the Bills in 2022. He spent most of his rookie season on Buffalo's practice squad before a promotion to the active roster in December. He played in two games for the Bills and contributed a pair of tackles.
December 1 Updates
After the final practice of Week 13 on Friday, Head Coach Todd Bowles revealed that the Buccaneers will be without both of their starting off-ball linebackers on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. David will miss a second straight game with a groin injury and White will be sidelined for the first time this year by a foot injury.
In addition, Bowles said that rookie linebacker SirVocea Dennis, who played in David's spot last week in Indianapolis, has "a long way to go" in order to be ready for the game after missing every practice this week due to an illness.
As such, the Buccaneers will be starting K.J. Britt and J.J. Russell at linebacker. Britt was a fifth-round pick in the 2021 draft out of Auburn. Russell, who played his college ball at Memphis, was an undrafted free agent in 2022 who has spent most of his first two seasons on the Bucs' practice squad. Bowles has confidence in the ability of both players to fill in on Sunday.
"I feel good about them stepping up," he said. "They've played before. They got in the game last year against Atlanta. K.J.'s been here for a couple years, he's a natural born leader, and J.J. can tackle, so I feel good about them playing."
Bowles also said that Britt would wear the green sticker on his helmet, meaning he is the one who can receive radio communications from the coaches on the sideline.
