The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be facing the Buffalo Bills this week, and they'll have a few players sidelined for another week, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
“Bucs coach Todd Bowles told reporters that RB Bucky Irving and WR Chris Godwin are both out for Sunday. But progress this week,” Rapoport wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Irving and Godwin have not played since earlier in the season, as they've been recovering from injuries. For Irving, he's been trying to get back from a shoulder injury, while Godwin is dealing with an injured fibula on the leg, which he dislocated his ankle last year. The good news for both is that they practiced this week, and that's progress compared to the past few weeks, where they haven't participated.
Outside of Irving and Godwin, Mike Evans has also been sidelined after suffering a collarbone injury against the Detroit Lions earlier in the season. That just adds to the list of players who have been out for the Buccaneers, and they're basically all the main playmakers for them.
For the time being, Emeka Egbuka and Tez Johnson have led the way for the offense, and they've been playing at a high level despite the injuries. Baker Mayfield is putting the football in the right places, and he's making it easier for the players around him.
Even with all the injuries, the Buccaneers have been able to stay afloat in the NFC and are still leading their division with a nice margin. When they do get healthy, they may be a team that's hard to deal with on offense, as they'll have several reliable receivers and a running back that can do a little bit of everything.
Their upcoming challenge is the Bills, who are also dealing with a few injuries on offense.
