Todd Bowles gives injury update ahead of Bucs’ clash with Packers, including an odd injury that took place before warmups began last Sunday
Tampa Bay’s defense is plenty banged up through three weeks, but one potential return for this weekend against Green Bay sounds encouraging.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ defense delivered an improved performance on Sunday in a 23-16 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The Bucs were able to shut down the Vikings ground game, limiting the Vikings to just 246 total yards on the day (78 rushing, 168 passing).
It was, with a better offensive effort, one that should have delivered a victory for Tampa Bay. And that alone is a silver lining to take from last Sunday, which saw the team fall to 0-3 on the season.
But the Bucs’ starting defensive front seven is dealing with some significant injuries just three weeks into the season. EDGE Rueben Bain, Jr. (groin) missed Sunday, as did LB Josiah Trotter (shoulder).
And in the game, Yaya Diaby left with an injury, which Todd Bowles advised on Wednesday is a calf injury. However, Bowles indicated Diaby “will be okay” ahead of Sunday’s clash with the Green Bay Packers.
Todd Bowles believes EDGE Yaya Diaby ‘will be okay’ ahead of matchup with Packers; EDGE Rueben Bain, Jr. and Josiah Trotter are still to be determined
“Yaya, we think, will be okay,” Bowles said. “Rueben, we’re still trying to decide, and we’ll see at the end of the week where he is.”
Bowles was asked if Bain’s shoulder, in addition to his groin, is still affecting him, and he said that it is.
“That’s still a concern as well,” Bowles said of Bain’s shoulder.
DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches suffered an injury on Sunday before the Bucs even began their pregame warmups vs. Vikings
DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches was a surprise inactive on Sunday against the Vikings. As it turns out, per Bowles, he suffered an injury before pregame warmups and during stretching.
“I don’t even think it was pregame warmups,” Bowles said. “It was stretch, it was even before uniforms came on. It was unfortunate. Something with his foot that just happened. Hadn’t happened in a couple of years and it came up. Just one of those things.”
We’ll see how all of the Bucs’ wounded walking on defense fare this week in practice, with Friday’s injury report telling the tale on their availability on Sunday in a must-win game against the Packers.
