The Tampa Bay Buccaneers traveled to New Jersey on Saturday in preparation for Sunday's road game against the New York Jets, and they did so without three of their players: tight end Tom Crabtree, fullback Erik Lorig and guard Carl Nicks.
Teams are required to report to the NFL and the opposing team when players do not accompany the team on a road trip. Obviously, Crabtree, Lorig and Nicks will be inactive for Sunday's season opener at MetLife Stadium.
The Buccaneers had already declared Crabtree and Nicks out for the game on their official end-of-week injury report, but Lorig was still considered "questionable" as of Friday. As it turns out, the calf injury that kept the fourth-year fullback out of all four preseason games will also cost him the regular-season opener.