Since the start of training camp at the end of July, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have suffered several unfortunate injuries to some key players.
Last week, Bucs' offensive guard and free agent signing Sua Opeta tore his ACL and is out for the entire 2024-2025 season, while star pass rusher Yaya Diaby was carted off the field after an ankle injury.
Although Diaby is on track to return for Tampa Bay's Week 1 game against Washington, the loss of Opeta is a major blow to the Bucs' offensive line depth. Since then, Tampa Bay's offensive line situation didn't get any better.
Buccaneers place another offensive lineman on season-ending IR
Offensive tackle Silas Dzansi injured his knee during 11-on-11 drills during Saturday’s practice. The Bucs later placed Dzansi on injured reserve ahead of their first preseason game against the Bengals on Saturday night, and is expected to miss the next couple weeks.
Dzansi, a 2023 undrafted free agent from Virginia Tech, has been a reserve tackle for the Bucs over the past two seasons. Throughout mandatory minicamp, OTA's and mandatory minicamp, Dzansi was one of the offensive linemen working toward a reserve role this season at either tackle spot.
During his four years at Virginia Tech, Dzansi made 31 starts all across the offensive line, with 11 starts at left tackle and 17 at right. As a Senior in 2022, Dzansi helped anchor the Hokies' offensive line that allowed one or fewer sacks in three different games, including against West Virginia.
With Dzansi and Opeta out for the season and Diaby sidelined for the next couple weeks, the Buccaneers' preseason has already been rockier than most would like. Still, there’s so much hope on the horizon that it’s hard to not still be excited about what the future holds and what glimpses we will see now that a few key spots on the depth chart have opened up.
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