Injuries are already piling up
We’re only four weeks into the season and already injuries are starting to pile up on the Buccaneers. Specifically, the lack of depth in the secondary is being exposed in a bad way thanks to a slew of injuries that will hold some key players out of Sunday’s game.
Carlton Davis is playing, but he’s suiting up for the first time since Week 1. There’s some concern that he’s not 100 percent but is playing out of necessity since Jamel Dean has already been ruled out. Derrek Pitts is also out, which leave Tampa Bay with just two healthy cornerbacks outside of the nickel corner group.
That’s not great, especially considering the fact that it looks like Derek Carr is now expected to start on Sunday. The Bucs gave up 271 yards to Jalen Hurts on Monday night and the secondary was blown up by A.J. Brown for 131 yards. It marked the third straight week where the Bucs gave up over 100 yards to an opposing team’s top receiver, as Justin Jefferson went for 150 yards and D.J. Moore racked up 104 yards despite how bad the Bears offense is this year.
Chris Olave and Michael Thomas were already going to be touch matchups with Jameis Winston under center but getting Carr back against a depleted secondary is a potential nightmare scenario.