The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have lost on Sunday, but the only significant injury that we heard of was to CB Jacob Parrish. In what was described on the telecast as a back injury, Todd Bowles addressed the situation on Monday.
According to the Buccaneers' head coach, their starting corner did not suffer anything serious. The team conducted medical tests on Monday. His injury is considered to be a back sprain.
#Bucs HC Todd Bowles says that Jacob Parrish has a back sprain. The MRI came back negative so he just has to overcome soreness.
— PewterReport 🏴☠️ (@PewterReport) September 14, 2026
Tampa Bay Buccaneers get positive update on Jacob Parrish injury after Week 1
Parrish could return this week when the Buccaneers host the Browns, but is there really a rush to do so? While the secondary is better with him on the field, rookie Keionte Scott held his own in his first NFL action. The rookie recorded four unassisted tackles in the loss.
Scott was credited with giving up 35 yards as a boundary corner, but his overall performance was quite good considering he wasn't expected to line up outside.
Parrish is one of the secondary's promising young players. The 2025 3rd round pick has given Todd Bowles defense a solid starter who is continuing to get better.
Last year, Parrish started five of the 17 games he was eligible for. He posted 2 interceptions and allowed 55 completions on 77 targets, including two touchdowns. This year, he was hoping to take a big step forward.
On Sunday, he was getting off to a decent start before leaving the field. Over his 20 snaps, Parrish had one pass defended and two solo tackles. Getting him back will free Bowles to put Scott back on the inside, where he can play fewer one-on-one coverages.
While it might sound like a good idea to bring Parrish back in week two, his overall health is more important. The Browns are not a good football team and do not carry threats on the boundaries. Deshaun Watson is as erratic a QB as there is in the league this year.
Scott should have no problems on the outside against Cleveland's receivers. Bowles should strongly consider dressing Parrish but taking a "Break glass in case of emergency" approach. Give Scott the extra reps and save Parrish for week 3.
Despite the good news of a back sprain, anything with the back can be a problem. It may be more debilitating at onset than a broken bone. Ultimately, it will be how Parrish handles the practice load this week and how he feels.
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