The Bucs didn’t obtain excellent news when it got here to their injury-riddled secondary. It was one factor to lose beginning cornerback Zyon McCollum to a concussion within the staff’s 37-20 win over the Commanders on Sunday, and one other to lose prime reserve cornerback Bryce Corridor to a season-ending dislocated ankle and fractured fibula.
However Pewter Report reported that Bucs All-Professional security Antoine Winfield Jr. was seen leaving the locker room after the Week 1 win in strolling boot on his proper foot. The staff hoped that Winfield may miss some observe time together with his harm, however as a substitute he’s extra more likely to miss just a few weeks of motion, in accordance with NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
Sources: #Buccaneers All-Professional security Antoine Winfield Jr suffered an ankle/foot sprain on Sunday vs the #Commanders and can miss a few weeks. An enormous loss, however not the worst case state of affairs.
Tampa Bay travels to Detroit for a Divisional Spherical rematch in Week 2. pic.twitter.com/zF0aGKb5bt
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) September 9, 2024
Fox Sports activities’ Greg Auman confirmed the harm and advised that it could extra possible be three to 4 weeks with ankle/foot sprain. Pewter Report has confirmed this report. Auman is often spot on in his reporting, and Schultz additionally has a really credible observe report for breaking information.
If “a pair” of video games is 2, my understanding is that Antoine Winfield is extra more likely to miss 3-4 weeks together with his ankle/foot sprain. Robust loss for a out of the blue depleted Bucs secondary.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) September 9, 2024
A four-to-six week time-frame is about proper for a excessive ankle sprain. Bucs exterior linebacker Yaya Diaby had a light excessive ankle sprain in that he acquired remedy on it after harm his ankle after the primary week of coaching camp and didn’t should stroll round in a boot or a brace. Diaby missed all three preseason video games and 5 weeks complete together with his harm earlier than returning to observe previous to the 2024 season opener in opposition to Washington.
Todd Bowles Mentioned Antoine Winfield Jr.’s Harm
Bucs head coach Todd Bowles mentioned when Antoine Winfield Jr. injured his ankle in Tampa Bay’s 37-20 victory over Washington on Sunday.
“He acquired damage on one of many final two performs of the sport in regulation,” Bowles mentioned. “He was on the onside (kick) staff, he didn’t go on the market for the onside (kick) staff. He’s fairly sore. We’ll see how he feels.”
“Clearly Win was in a boot. We’ll see about him later within the week,” Bowles mentioned at his day-after-game presser on Monday afternoon hours earlier than Jordan Schultz’s report on X.
Bucs security Antoine Winfield Jr. – Photograph by: USA Immediately
There’s no query that this can be a enormous blow for the Bucs already on prime of the a number of accidents that they’re coping with on protection, which incorporates lacking beginning defensive tackles Calijah Kancey and Logan Corridor.
Antoine Winfield is the perfect participant that the Bucs have on their protection. He earned an All-Professional and was rewarded this offseason with a four-year, $84.1 million extension that made him the highest-paid defensive again within the NFL up till Patrick Surtain’s new deal just lately with the Broncos.
Winfield already acquired off to a great begin in Week 1 of this season, recording seven tackles in Tampa Bay’s season-opening win. That was tied for second most on the staff. His versatility in tons of various areas permits the Bucs’ protection to achieve a special degree and provides Todd Bowles the keys to name numerous formations and appears.
What Will The Bucs Do In The Secondary?
Backup security Christian Izien already needed to come into Sunday’s recreation and play nook as a result of variety of accidents on the place. He might have to return to his extra pure place if Winfield isn’t in a position to play subsequent week in opposition to the Lions.
Bucs DB Christian Izien – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
The Bucs have a number of juggling to do. They’ll possible should signal a nook exterior of the group simply to maintain Izien at security. Additionally they have Tavierre Thomas, who can play all over the place to a level and Kaevon Merriweather, who’s extra of a backup to Jordan Whitehead at sturdy security.
Tampa Bay additionally has beginning slot nook Tykee Smith, who performed security at Georgia. It is likely to be greatest to not mess with the rookie’s growth and maintain him in that spot.
Bowles can have time this week to determine how he desires to align his protection to face a Lions opponent that has gotten the higher of his defenses in two matchups final season.
Heading into the 12 months, the Bucs bolstered its secondary with the addition of cornerbacks Bryce Corridor and Tyrek Funderburk, Whitehead, Smith and Thomas. No person anticipated to see this many gamers injured that shortly after one recreation, together with Tampa Bay’s greatest participant in Winfield. However that’s the truth that the Bucs face in the intervening time.
