The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are looking to build on a last-second win over the Houston Texans in Week 2. Baker Mayfield led his team to victory in the dying embers of the game despite his team losing the lead in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, he has lost one of his best protectors for the rest of the season.
Buccaneers guard Cody Mauch has been ruled out for the rest of the season, according to FOX Sports reporter Greg Auman. He suffered a knee injury, according to Auman. And this injury is significant enough that it will require season-ending surgery to correct.
This is not the sort of news Tampa Bay needed, considering their situation. Mauch is the third starting offensive lineman to come down with an injury. Tristan Wirfs is recovering from knee surgery he received over the summer. Meanwhile, Luke Goedeke is set to miss multiple weeks after suffering a foot injury.
Tampa Bay is expected to add reinforcement soon. The Buccaneers are expected to sign veteran guard Dan Feeney off the Buffalo Bills practice squad, according to Adam Schefter. This gives them some added depth to a depleted group heading into their Week 3 clash.
Feeney does have starting experience in the NFL. Auman notes that he has 65 career starts to this point. However, he has only made three starts in the last three seasons. His last start came in 2023 as a member of the Chicago Bears.
The Buccaneers do have in-house options on their practice squad. However, none of these options are as experienced as Feeney. Having an experienced option on the roster could give Mayfield and the offensive coaching staff a bit of peace of mind.
The Buccaneers are 2-0 and are certainly looking to remain undefeated. They return home on Sunday afternoon as they play host to the New York Jets. It will certainly be interesting to see how the team manages the injuries to its offensive line.
