September 30 Updates
The Buccaneers had a 20-man injury report by the time their game against Philadelphia rolled around on Sunday but did at least escape that win without significanty lengthening the list of ailing players. There were, however, two exceptions: wide receiver Trey Palmer sustained a concussion and linebacker SirVocea Dennis suffered a shoulder injury.
It's difficult to predict the length of time a player will miss with a concussion given the differing severities of that injury. It does seem unlikely that Palmer would be able to work his way through the full concussion protocol in time to play in Atlanta on Thursday night, given the short week ahead. As for Dennis, Head Coach Todd Bowles suggested he could miss multiple weeks.
"SirVocea got pretty nicked up with his shoulder," said Bowles. "Other than that and Trey, everybody else is just nicked up. They should be okay."
When asked if Dennis's prognosis was a "one-week" issue, Bowles replied: "No, I think he hurt it pretty bad, so we'll see how bad."
Dennis has stepped into a bigger role on defense in his second season, essentially splitting one of the of the two off-ball linebacker spots with K.J. Britt, usually taking the field in obvious passing situations. He has played 39% of the defensive snaps through four games, contributing 22 tackles, 1.0 sack, one tackle for loss and one quarterback hit. J.R. Russell is the only other linebacker on the Bucs' depth chart, but Bowles said the coaches are considering multiple options as to how to fill Dennis's role.
"We're mulling that over right now," said Bowles. "There's a bunch of different directions we can go; we'll see which one fits this game."
CLICK HERE for a recap of the Bucs' Week Four win over the Eagles.
September 27 Updates
The Buccaneers started their third and final practice of Eagles week with 17 players on their injury report. They finished it with 18 players on the list.
Rookie wide receiver Jalen McMillan had to leave the workout early after sustaining a hamstring injury.
"McMillan tweaked his hamstring; we'll see about him as well," said Head Coach Todd Bowles after practice.
McMillan has played 80% of the Buccaneers' offensive snaps so far as the team's primary third receiver alongside Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. He has only three receptions so far but is averaging 19.7 yards per catch and has scored a touchdown. Trey Palmer, who was the team's main third receiver last year, would likely step into that role if McMillan is out.
The team's fifth receiver, Kameron Johnson, is dealing with an ankle injury but has been able to get in some practice work this week. The Buccaneers also have three receivers on the practice squad – Ryan Miller, Sterling Shepard and Cody Thompson – giving them potential game day elevation options. Shephard was elevated last week and played against the Broncos.
Bowles also indicated that defensive lineman Calijah Kancey (calf) and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (foot) have been ruled out for Sunday's game against Philadelphia. Tackle Luke Goedeke, who has not yet passed the concussion protocol after missing two games, is a question mark heading into the weekend, as are defensive lineman Vita Vea (knee).
CLICK HERE for a preview of the Bucs-Eagles contest.
September 26 Updates
The Buccaneers have a lengthy injury report in Week Four, and one of the new names that popped up on the list for the first time this season is that of rookie running back Bucky Irving. Irving was listed as limited for the team's first practice on Wednesday and he was held out completely on Thursday due to a hamstring issue.
However, Irving spoke to the media on Thursday via a Zoom call and indicated that he is preparing to play on Sunday against the Eagles.
"I feel pretty great," he said. "I'm just dialed in on the game right now and I look forward to playing on Sunday."
Through three games, Irving leads the Bucs with 154 rushing yards, and he's averaging 6.2 yards per tote. He ranks third among all NFL running backs in yards per carry and second in yards gained before contact per attempt (2.3). He has also caught five passes for 28 yards. It hasn't taken the fourth-round pick out of Oregon long to become an important piece in the Bucs' offense, so it is encouraging that he expects to suit up on Sunday.
"I don't want to go into details," said Irving, regarding when and how he suffered the injury. "I'll be ready for the game on Sunday."
The Eagles, led by new addition Saquon Barkley, have the NFL's third-ranked rushing attack, averaging 167.3 yards per game. But Philadelphia has also allowed 134.7 rushing yards per game, ranking 24th in the league in that category. The Bucs are averaging 91.0 yards on the ground so far but Irving things they can get a lot more out of their rushing attack.
"There's always room for improvement," he said. "Just coming in, we heard all the outside noise that this team wasn't going to be good in rushing yards, but I feel like the playmakers that we've got in the room, we have to turn it up and notch and just go out there every week and compete at a high level."
CLICK HERE to view the Bucs' Week Four injury report.
September 25 Updates
Third-year tackle Luke Goedeke took part in the Buccaneers' practice on Wednesday, marking his first return to the field since he was diagnosed with a concussion two weeks ago. Goedeke did not take part in all of the drills, but there is hope that he can continue to progress in the days ahead and eventually clear the NFL's concussion protocol.
"He's limited," said Bowles. "He's feeling a lot better. He did some individual stuff. He's got to do more as the week goes on for us to evaluate him."
The Bucs have allowed 12 sacks of Baker Mayfield in the two games that Goedeke has missed. They overcame a five-sack afternoon in a win at Detroit in Week Two but the seven that Mayfield absorbed in Week Three contributed greatly to the team's first loss, against Washington last Sunday. As Mayfield himself has explained several times, the protection issues were not all the result of Goedeke's absence, and that he himself was the cause of some of them. Still, he would definitely like to see Goedeke back in action on Sunday for a big game against the visiting Eagles.
"Obviously, getting Luke back would be huge for us, obviously within the pass game, but the run game as well," said Mayfield. "I don't think he gets enough credit for the type of mauler offensive lineman that he really is. Obviously, he's improved a ton in the pass protection aspect of it, but in the run game he's huge for us."
Bowles also indicated that nose tackle Vita Vea, who missed the Washington game due to a knee injury suffered just after halftime in Detroit, is making progress. Like Goedeke, he returned to practice on Wednesday in a limited fashion.
"He's trying to get back," said Bowles. "He's feeling a little better. We're going to see how much he can do."
CLICK HERE for a look at some of the other top storylines and key matchups for Sunday's Bucs-Eagles matchup.
September 23 Updates
The Buccaneers lost to the Broncos, 26-7, on Sunday, and in a game in which the Bucs' offense struggled to find any consistent success, rookie running back Bucky Irving was the unit's most productive player. Irving ran nine times for 70 yards, including carries of 32 and 13 on the Bucs' lone touchdown drive, and caught three passes for 14 yards. That's a total of 84 yards from scrimmage, or roughly 35% of the team's 223 total yards on the day.
Head Coach Todd Bowles made it clear before the season that third-year back Rachaad White, who had more than 1,500 yards from scrimmage in 2023, was the starter in the backfield but that Irving would also have a prominent role. That is exactly what has happened through the first three weeks, with White on the field for 78% of the snaps and Irving logging a 33% snap share.
What makes Irving's performance even more impressive is that he did it on just 18 offensive snaps, out of a possible 57. Rachaad White logged 42 offensive snaps in the game, though some of those were with both backs on the field at the same time. Bowles indicated that this particular snap split was more the fuction of game situations than anything regarding performance, but also agreed that Irving has made a case for more playing time going forward.
"No, it has nothing to do with anything," said Bowles. "I mean, we were behind [and] we threw it a little bit more. Rachaad's probably a better pass-protector at this point, but Bucky has definitely earned more reps."
The Buccaneers selected Irving in the fourth round of this year's draft out of Oregon. Through three games, he has run 25 times for 154 yards and caught five passes for 28 yards. His 6.2 yards per carry ranks third among qualifying running backs in the NFL so far.
CLICK HERE for a look at other notable numbers from Sunday's game against the Broncos.
September 20 Updates
After sustaining a knee injury early in the second half of the Buccaneers' Week Two win in Detroit, defensive lineman Vita Vea was held out of practice on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. However, he did some limited work on the practice field on Friday, leaving open the possibility that he could return to action this Sunday against the Broncos.
"He did some things," said Head Coach Todd Bowles after Friday's practice. "He's gotten a lot better. We'll see how much better he gets until Sunday. If not, we'll put him down. If he's feeling good, we'll see where he is."
The Buccaneers will issue an updated injury report later in the afternoon on Friday, and Vea will almost surely be listed as either questionable or doubtful. If he can make further progress over the weekend, he'll at least be a consideration on game day. That would help a Buccaneers defensive front that will also be without Calijah Kancey and has seen both Logan Hall and Will Gholston be limited by injuries this week.
Bowles confirmed that Kancey will not play Sunday and also listed tackle Luke Goedeke and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. as players who have already been ruled out for the game.
CLICK HERE for a comprehensive preview of Sunday's game against Denver.
September 18 Updates
Baker Mayfield and Panthers quarterback Bryce Young have definitely had some similar experiences in the game of football. Mayfield won the Heisman Trophy in 2017; Young took home the same award in 2021. Mayfield was the first-overall pick in the 2018 draft; Young went first in 2023.
And at some point, both quarterbacks lost their starting jobs in the NFL. Mayfield was first traded by the Browns after four seasons as a starter, subsequent to Cleveland trading for Deshaun Watson. In Carolina, he originally won a competition for the starting job with Sam Darnold but was then benched after six starts and eventually released.
On Monday, the Panthers, who traded up to get the first pick to take Young, announced that they would be switching to veteran quarterback Andy Dalton as their starter. Young made 18 starts, including the first two games of this season, before he was sent to the bench, and the Panthers won only two of them.
Mayfield found his footing again in Tampa after his nomadic 2022 season and is now firmly entrenched as the starter, with a hefty new multi-year contract and a stat line that ranks among the league's best. It's an open question as to what is next for Young in Carolina, but Mayfield believes there will be a second act for the talented young passer.
"Obviously mine didn't happen in the same timeframe with Bryce," said Mayfield. "But [playing] quarterback is hard, especially for young guys, when you're not surrounded with the pieces, not giving the opportunity to have success. A lot of the times, guys have the talent, they might have the brains but they don't have the right opportunity, the right fit. I mean, I'm sitting here right now in a way better fit than the other places I've been. And that's not to put other teams down, but it's a matter of the pieces around you, the coaches. And for Bryce, the guy – I can relate to this – finding that belief in yourself again, and he'll get it. His story is far, far from finished."
The Buccaneers don't face the Panthers until Weeks 13 and 17. Perhaps by then, Young will be back under center. Even if that's not the case, Mayfield believes he will eventually find the opportunity that fits for him, just as Mayfield has done in Tampa.
CLICK HERE to hear more from Mayfield about the Bucs' season and the upcoming matchup with Denver.
September 16 Updates
Buccaneers' defensive lineman Vita Vea suffered a knee injury early in the second half of the Buccaneers' win in Detroit on Sunday and did not return for the rest of the game. On Monday, Head Coach Todd Bowles delivered what has to be considered good news for a Buccaneers' defense that has already been depleted by several notable injuries. There is a chance that Vea will be available for next Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos.
"He's got an MCL sprain, grade 2," said Bowles of Vea. "Right now he's day-to-day but not ruled out."
The Buccaneers placed cornerback Bryce Hall (ankle) on injured reserve last week and started the contest in Detroit without All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. and starting defensive lineman Calijah Kancey. Defensive lineman Logan Hall returned after missing the first game with a foot injury, but the Buccaneers still had to depend heavily on two players elevated from the practice squad, C.J. Brewer and Mike Greene, following Vea's departure. Defensive lineman Greg Gaines also played 66 of the team's 85 defensive snaps, well above his usual per-game average.
A grade 2 MCL is sprain is a moderate tear that causes partial instability in the knee. They are generally treated with rest, ice and compression. The Buccaneers will begin Week Three hoping that this sort of treatment is sufficient to keep Vea from missing any games.
CLICK HERE to watch highlights of the Bucs' 20-16 win in Detroit.
September 13 Updates
The rash of injuries the Buccaneers suffered leading up to and during their season-opening win over Washington was mostly concentrated on the defensive side of the ball. However, the offense will also be missing a key starter on Sunday in Detroit.
Right tackle Luke Goedeke was diagnosed with a concussion on Wednesday and will not clear the NFL's protocol in time to play this weekend. Head Coach Todd Bowles indicated that fifth-year lineman Justin Skule will start in his place. With a healthy starting five on the line against the Commanders, the Buccaneers racked up 37 points, 392 yards and 22 first downs.
Skule was one of four players Bowles positively ruled out after Friday's practice. The other Buccaneer recovering from a concussion is starting cornerback Zyon McCollum, who has been able to practice this week but still needs to clear the protocol by Saturday in order to be available against the Lions.
"[Calijah] Kancey will be out, obviously," he said. "[Antoine] Winfield will be out, Goedeke will be out as well, and [Josh] Hayes will be out. Everybody else is questionable. Zyon has some tests to pass. We'll see how he is and we'll see how Logan [Hall] feels tomorrow."
A sixth-round pick out of Vanderbilt by the 49ers in 2019, Skule started 12 games over his first two seasons. He first joined the Buccaneers as a member of the practice squad in 2022, then made the active roster last season and was the active "swing tackle" in every game. However, this will be his first start with the Buccaneers.
Skule is the only reserve listed for the tackle spots on the Buccaneers' depth chart. Offensive Coordinator Liam Coen indicated on Thursday that the Bucs have several options to fill in if needed, specifically mentioning Robert Hainsey, who played tackle at Notre Dame.
CLICK HERE for a comprehensive preview of Sunday's game in Detroit.
September 11 Updates
Christian Izien understands that game situations can change fast. If that wasn't clear before last weekend it is now after a rash of injuries forced him to play half the game against Washington at outside corner, a position he hadn't manned since high school.
So while Izien is being told that his current assignment is free safety, he's aware that the situation in the Buccaneers' banged-up secondary could be fluid.
"They told me I could either play nickel or safety last week and I ended up playing corner, so you never know, in all honesty," he said. "But I've heard primarily free safety to start."
Izien was pressed into service at a new position in the Bucs' win over the Commanders after injuries sidelined Zyon McCollum, Bryce Hall and Josh Hayes. Hall is now on injured reserve and McCollum and Hayes are currently question marks to suit up this coming Sunday in Detroit. However, Izien appears to have a new task this week because in addition to those mishaps at corner, All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield suffered a foot injury near the end of the Week One outing. Izien worked at both nickel and safety during the offseason.
The Bucs initially eyed Izien as an undrafted free agent in 2023 with the thought that he could compete for the starting job in the slot. He ended up winning that job, but the Bucs drafted Georgia's Tykee Smith in the third round of this year's draft largely due to his talents in the slot, and that job now belongs to him. But Izien only played that spot for one of his five seasons at Rutgers.
"Yeah, so I played safety four years in college prior to playing nickel my senior year, so it's something familiar to me," he said. "I repped it entirely this whole offseason and training camp, so I feel real comfortable back there going into this weekend."
So Izien expects to be at a new spot this weekend, but he's getting prepared for any possibility.
"It's a week grind, just going home and watching film of other positions as well as mine own," he said. "I got a chance to be in a room with the corners last year and I learned their stuff. Now I'm at free safety and still doing nickel, so I have to have the versatility to learn and understand both positions."
CLICK HERE to hear more from Izien in advance of Sunday's game against the Lions.
September 9 Updates
Tampa Bay held Washington to 299 yards of offense in Sunday's 37-20 win, but injuries suffered during that game will test the defense's depth in Week Two, particularly in the secondary.
On Monday, Head Coach Todd Bowles confirmed that cornerback Bryce Hall will miss next Sunday's game in Detroit due to an ankle injury that forced him to be taken off the field on a cart. Bowles also said that Hall's injury is likely to end his season.
Hall was in the game because starter Zyon McCollum suffered a concussion in the first half. In addition, the Bucs' depth at the corner position was stretched thin by an ankle injury that reserve Josh Hayes sustained while playing special teams. That forced the team to put safety Christian Izien in the game at outside cornerback, a position he hadn't played since high school.
While Hall's status is certain, Bowles likely won't know until later in the week if he will have McCollum or Hayes at his disposal in Detroit. He also revealed that All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. is another question mark for the secondary this week.
"We'll see about Hayes, we'll see about Zyon," said Bowles. "And obviously 'Win' was in a boot; we'll see about him later on in the week as well."
Bowles said Winfield got hurt on one of the last two defensive plays of the game, which prevented him from going out with the 'hands team' against Washington's onside kick attempt. Winfield's injury also complicates the way in which Izien will prepare for the game in Detroit. He proved himself to be a reasonable option at outside cornerback but if Winfield were unavailable Bowles would want Izien on the field at safety.
Rookie cornerback Tyrek Funderburk could factor into the cornerback lineup on Sunday. He was inactive for the opener in large part because he had been getting over a minor injury at the end of the preseason.
"I thought he needed a week to get back into shape, to get back into football shape," said Bowles. "But if he has to play this week I'm very comfortable with him playing. We think he's a very good football player; he just hasn't been out there yet."
Bowles also allowed for the possibility that the Buccaneers will add some new players to the roster if the injured members of the secondary don't make enough progress during the week.
"We'll see how these guys do and eventually we'll work something out," said Bowles. "If we need to get somebody, we'll get somebody."
CLICK HERE for a recap of Sunday's win over Washington.
September 6 Updates
Defensive lineman Logan Hall will not play in the Buccaneers' season-opening game against the Commanders on Sunday, Head Coach Todd Bowles confirmed on Friday. Hall did not practice all week due to a foot injury suffered during practice last week.
The Buccaneers also placed defensive lineman Earnest Brown on injured reserve on Friday, which means they are beginning the season a bit thin at that position. The Bucs did add second-year defensive lineman Ben Still on Friday, signing him off Arizona's practice squad, which gives them five healthy players on the line. They could also choose to elevate either C.J. Brewer or Mike Greene from the practcie squad for the game. Bowles said a decision on that potential move has not yet been made.
"We're still going through that process right now, seeing if we can elevate six or keep five [and] bring up another position," he said.
Stille would be mostly unfamiliar with the Buccaneers' defensive playbook if he got into the game on Sunday.
"He's tough, we know that," said Bowles of the former Nebraska standout. "We've seen him on tape. He's tough, he's a good run stopper, he's very strong that way. I didn't get to see much of him in person in practice because he just got here, so we'll see how much he can learn before Sunday."
CLICK HERE to watch Coach Bowles' post-practice press conference on Friday.
September 5 Updates
Yaya Diaby, the Buccaneers' second-year outside linebacker, missed most of training camp and all three preseason games due to a high ankle sprain suffered in the first couple days of practice. Now he's fully recovered and practicing without limits as the Buccaneers prepare for their season opener against Washington on Sunday. To say Diaby is eager to get the season started would be an understatement.
"I'm super excited," he said on Thursday. "I learned a lot from Year One to Year Two and what I have to do to attack these tackles now. It just takes reps and I had a lot of reps. So I'm doing great and I'm ready for Week One."
The Buccaneers drafted the Louisville product in the third round last year, and that's not where teams commonly find impact pass rushers. In fact, Tampa Bay's talent evaluators really honed in on Diaby during draft prep because they thought he would be good at setting the edge against the run right from the get-go. They weren't as sure about how his pass-rushing ability would translate.
That made Diaby's rookie season a very pleasant surprise for the team. He flashed enough as an edge rusher in the first half of the season to ascend to the starting lineup by midseason. By the end of the season, he had collected 7.5 sacks, which led all Buccaneer defenders, and 12 tackles for loss, which led all NFL rookies. He also recorded 26 quarterback pressures, according to NFL Next Gen Stats, and his average time to pressures (TTP) of 2.87 was better than league average.
Having scratched the surface of that nascent pass-rushing ability, Diaby spent the offseason working to hone it and be an even bigger menace to quarterbacks in 2024.
"I was already a great run-stopper," he said. "What we really focused on was the pass-rush part and just adding more tools to my package. I think I've done a great job of that and I'm ready to showcase my abilities. Now it's not a lot of thinking. It's more of just getting off and reacting to what the tackle does."
CLICK HERE for a preview of the Buccaneers' season-opener against the Commanders.
September 4 Updates
Buccaneers Head Coach Todd Bowles celebrated his first Wednesday press conference of the 2024 season by transforming himself into an instant meme.
The prompt was a question about the emotions of taking the field in Week One that started by describing Bowles as stoic. Before the reporter could quite finish the question, Bowles pounded the podium and yelled, "IT'S EXCITING!" Multiple attendees of the press conference jumped in surprise as Bowles followed with a long bout of laughter.
The moment had gone viral on social media before Bowles' media session was even over. Quarterback Baker Mayfield followed Bowles into the press studio and did his own riff on the coach's surprise exclamation. Mayfield later added a more serious answer to the question.
"Not to steal Coach Bowles' line, but it is exciting, because of all the prep work" he said. "The long months waiting for it, you finally get into game week, dialed in on what you want to attack, how you want to scheme it up. You prep all year, and then obviously each week you prep all week, just for that 60 minutes of game time. So you've got to go out and you've got to relax and have fun. You've prepared for this moment. Our guys are going to be ready by that time, so just have fun and enjoy that. But it's a really exciting moment. Week One energy is always really special."
CLICK HERE to watch Coach Bowles' Wednesday press conference.
September 3 Updates
Raiqwon O'Neal's young NFL career has seen him go from one corner of the NFL to the other, and now back again.
On Tuesday, the Buccaneers signed O'Neal, a second-year offensive tackle out of UCLA, to its practice squad. To make room on that 17-man unit, the team released rookie center Avery Jones.
O'Neal first entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Buccaneers last year. He earned a spot on Tampa Bay's practice squad to start the season but was then signed off that unit by the Seahawks to be on their active roster. He appeared in three regular-season games for Seattle and went back to training camp with the Seahawks this summer, but was waived during the league-wide cutdown to 53-man rosters last week. Seattle originally signed him to their practice squad, but then released him on August 30.
O'Neal started his college career at Rutgers, where he spent four seasons (2018-21) before transferring to UCLA in 2022. He started all 13 games for the Bruins in 2022, helping the team record nine games with 200-plus rushing yards.
Jones signed with the Bucs as an undrafted free agent out of Auburn in May.
CLICK HERE for a look at the Bucs' season-opening roster for 2024.
September 2 Updates
When rookies and free agents join a new team in the offseason, they often have a limited number of jersey number options because the roster is eventually expanded to hold 91 players. In fact, with some positional-range restrictions plus a handful of numbers that are officially or unofficially retired, a couple players often have to wear the same numbers for a few months. That was the case, for instance, for Buccaneers undrafted rookie wideout Kameron Johnson, who wore the number 9 on offense throughout training camp, the same number outside linebacker Joe Tryon-Shoyinka was wearing on defense.
Once rosters are trimmed down to 53 players (plus 16 or 17 on the practice squad and a handful on injured reserve), some more options are created. Three Buccaneers have chosen to adopt new numbers for the regular season, including Johnson, who is now in the 19 jersey. Undrafted free agent quarterback Zack Annexstad had that number to start training camp, and it then went to punter Nolan Cooney for a short while after Annexstad was released. The most prominent player in team history to wear the 19 jersey prior to this season was wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson from 2000-03.
Defensive lineman Earnest Brown, who was given the number 74 jersey upon his arrival in May, also chose to switch after making the 53-man roster, adopting number 97 instead. Long-snapper Zach Triner had owned that number the last five seasons but he was cut in favor of Eric Deckers in the cutdown to 53. The most prominent number 97 in Bucs history to date was defensive end Simeon Rice, who wore it from 2001-06.
Wide receiver Sterling Shepard landed on the practice squad after missing most of training camp with a leg injury. Shepard didn't sign with the team until June, so there weren't a lot of available options and he took the number 25 into camp. He was always a likely candidate to switch after cuts as receivers rarely take numbers in the 20s. He has moved to 17, which had belonged to first-year wide receiver Raleigh Webb during the preseason. This is Shepard's third jersey number as a pro, as he wore 87 for five years and 3 for three seasons with the Giants.
CLICK HERE to see the Bucs' updated roster.
