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Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Jordan Whitehead is being placed on the non-football injury list after suffering injuries in an automobile accident, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. He is “overall ok” but is now expected to miss the rest of the season.
The 2018 fourth-round draft pick was on his way to the Bucs' practice facility when the accident occurred. Ryan Neal is being elevated from the practice squad in his absence, per the team.
Whitehead's well-being is of the utmost concern, so it is encouraging to hear a positive update in that regard. Though, one cannot ignore the football implications of his injury status. The Buccaneers' secondary is already depleted. Neither free safety Antoine Winfield Jr. nor cornerback Jamel Dean will be suiting up in Sunday's regular season finale versus the New Orleans Saints, and with Whitehead now also inactive, the team's playoff path just got murkier.
On paper, Tampa's Week 18 task is painless– defeat one of the worst squads the NFC has to offer at home to earn a Wild Card Weekend meeting with either the Detroit Lions or Minnesota Vikings. But the latest wave of injuries greatly complicates that objective.
Buccaneers may face more adversity than expected vs. Saints
The door is slightly open for the Saints to bring about the Bucs' demise, thereby extracting the last iota of satisfaction they can gain from an otherwise disappointing NFL campaign. Playing spoiler is what gets players on losing teams out of bed in the morning. Baker Mayfield is not one to crumble under such pressure, but the defense might not have the manpower to hold up its end of the bargain.
The Buccaneers allow the fourth-most passing yards per game in the NFL. Factor in the recent injury news, and they will be rolling out a unit that might be weak enough for even the unproven Spencer Rattler to exploit. Mayfield leads an offense that can overcome its defense's woes, so there is a chance fans will have nothing to worry about on Sunday afternoon. Still, they will breathe easier if the Carolina Panthers do them a solid versus the Atlanta Falcons.
Before the Bucs charge into battle in Raymond James Stadium, they will surely show their support for the injured Jordan Whitehead. The Super Bowl 55 champion is devastatingly stuck on the sidelines, while his teammates do their best to carry on without him. Things could definitely be worse, however. Thankfully, the 27-year-old is apparently going to be alright.
