The Tampa Bay Buccaneers injury report should look a little lighter this week, with two veteran Buccaneers finally being full participants at practice.
It’s no secret that the injury report for the Buccaneers has looked high-key thick so far in the 2021 season. It’s also no secret, that the team has been chugging along just fine, particularly on offense.
The Bucs have looked great, and only getting better. With the hated New Orleans Saints next on the schedule (and a bit of a surprising 4-2 record), this divisional battle is as important as it’s ever been, despite Drew Brees being replaced by our old friend Jameis Winston. With that said, a bit of good news has finally come out of the seemingly infinite abyss that has been the Buccaneers’ injury report, with Ndamukong Suh and O.J. Howard being full participants in Thursday’s practice.
Suh’s health is crucial, as he provides veteran leadership, experience, and of course skill on a defense that has been up and down thus far in 2021. It’s certainly good news that he appears to be all systems go.
In the case of Howard, sure, he isn’t Rob Gronkowski. Bucs fans have been waiting for what feels like forever for Gronk’s return, but the news that the oft-injured Howard also appears to be A-OK is a welcome sight. It’s especially true considering he was just starting to flash all of that talent, potential, and of course health, Bucs fans have been waiting for.
At the end of the day, the Buccaneers SHOULD win this game. They are the better team on paper and have looked better than pretty much any NFL team on the field this season. That said, the upgrades of these two veterans on the injury report is a great development, especially with a game of this magnitude on the horizon.