The Bucs proceed to be banged up because the season comes alongside. Tampa Bay had a Saturday apply with the group taking part in on Monday evening in opposition to the Chiefs and even the final apply of the week introduced some surprises.
Bucs RB Bucky Irving – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
Instantly as warmups started we noticed beginning left guard Ben Bredeson standing off on the sideline sporting a Bucs hat watching as his teammates received going. What we didn’t see was security inside linebacker Lavonte David or security Antoine Winfield Jr. till a lot at later.
Proper on the very finish of the session of apply that’s open to the media, David arrived sporting a helmet, indicating that he was training in the present day. Quickly after Winfield got here out, however had no helmet with him. As defensive backs began doing drills, Winfield simply watched them go about it. Winfield was solely added to to the damage report on Friday.
Gamers that had been out the earlier two days had been Bucky Irving, Sterling Shepard and Greg Gaines. Whereas Gaines was not seen, Irving and Shepard did take part. The Bucs talked concerning the plan with Irving throughout the week along with his toe damage as he’ll sit out two practices and apply on the third. Shepard has been coping with a hamstring damage and had ran on a separate discipline earlier within the week. He was capable of be part of everybody else on Saturday. Tykee Smith continued to apply and formally cleared concussion protocol on Saturday morning.
Antoine Winfield Jr. didn’t apply for the #Bucs. He got here out on the very finish however didn’t take part. There was no Greg Gaines and Ben Bredeson stood to the facet and watched. Not good.
Lavonte David was capable of apply. So did Tykee Smith, Bucky Irving and Sterling Shepard. pic.twitter.com/IkmPVKkk9G
— Matt Matera (@matty4_matera) November 2, 2024
Todd Bowles States Which Bucs Are Out
Bucs FS Antoine Winfield Jr. and ILB Lavonte David – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
Following apply Todd Bowles informed the media that three Bucs had been going to be out for Monday’s sport. These could be large receiver Mike Evans, as anticipated, defensive deal with Greg Gaines and lengthy snapper Evan Decker, who’s coming off of injured reserve. Which means Winfield, David and Bredeson are all able to go. Gaines had already been out the week earlier than, and it comes as a pleasant shock that the opposite trio is out there.
Bowles stated that Winfield’s foot is “sore” however is ok. He declined to specify whether or not it was the identical foot that value him 4 video games earlier within the season.
Getting Smith again and taking part in in and the slot, turns into a giant assist in the secondary having Smith and Winfield collectively. As a lot as Tampa Bay has struggled on protection, I’d troublesome to think about that the group would appear like with out Winfield, or what the linebackers would appear like if David had been unavailable.
It’s going to be an uphill battle for the Bucs to knock off the undefeated Chiefs. They’re at the very least as wholesome as they’ve been in weeks going into it.
