Bucs’ fears are confirmed as they take another major hit while trying to save their playoff hopes
The Bucs continue to take big hits on their offensive line, and the latest comes at the worst time.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been getting healthier as they head into the home stretch, with a number of important players either returning to action or being close.
Bucky Irving, Haason Reddick, and Chris Godwin have worked their way back from absences. Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan are in play to return on Thursday night against the Atlanta Falcons.
However, per FOX Sports’ Greg Auman, the Bucs will be without a starter against Atlanta and for the remainder of the regular season, at minimum. Starting left guard Ben Bredeson went down with a knee injury against the Saints. Unfortunately, that injury is requiring him to be placed on injured reserve.
Bucs LG Ben Bredeson being placed on injured reserve
Bredeson was undergoing an MRI on Monday, per Bowles, and it appears the results weren’t very good.
“Ben [Bredeson] is going to get an MRI this afternoon, so we’ll see about his knee from there. Tykee [Smith] finished the game okay – [he is] pretty sore right now, so he’ll be day-by-day.”
Bredeson logged 32 snaps on Sunday against New Orleans before exiting the game. Michael Jordan replaced him and handled the remaining 42 snaps at left guard. It therefore stands to reason that Jordan will be tasked with filling in for Bredeson for the remainder of the regular season.
It’s another tough blow for the Bucs’ offensive line, which has been ravaged at various points throughout the season. Tristan Wirfs missed the first games of the season recovering from a knee injury and missed last Sunday with an oblique issue. Luke Goedeke aggravated a foot issue and Cody Mauch suffered a season-ending knee injury against the Texans, with both going on injured reserve (season-ending IR for Mauch).
Now, Tampa Bay will have to find a way to protect Baker Mayfield and move the ball against the Falcons with two reserve guard spots and potentially without Wirfs, whose status isn’t clear for Thursday. It’s a “gotta have it” game this week for Tampa Bay as they try to stay on top of the NFC South over the surging Carolina Panthers, so we’ll see if Wirfs is able to tough it out and give a beleaguered group the lift it needs.
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