The Buccaneers are headed into their home opener shorthanded at cornerback, and that’s where the pressure really starts to stack up.
Jacob Parrish, Tampa Bay’s starting outside corner, will miss today’s game against the Cleveland Browns after being listed as questionable with a back injury he picked up in last week’s season opener. The team confirmed his status, leaving a thin position group to handle a tricky Week 2 assignment.
With Parrish out, Benjamin Morrison steps into the lineup opposite Zyon McCollum. That gives Tampa Bay a starting pair, but the cushion behind them is almost nonexistent.
Undrafted rookie Ayden Garnes is also inactive, which leaves the Buccaneers with very little room to absorb another injury at the position. If McCollum or Morrison has to leave the game, the Bucs would likely have to slide rookie nickel Keionte Scott outside or turn to special teams standout Kevin Knowles.
That’s not an ideal setup against a Browns passing game that may not scare people on paper, but still brings real talent at receiver. Jerry Jeudy is there, along with rookies KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston, and that group gives Cleveland enough firepower to test Tampa Bay’s depth.
Morrison is the name to watch. The former second-round pick was expected to push for a starting role this offseason, but a hamstring injury wiped out his training camp and pushed him into a backup spot.
Even so, the Buccaneers still believe in him, and he handled his relief work for Parrish last week well enough to keep that confidence intact. Now he gets a bigger stage to earn more trust from the staff and his teammates.
Parrish’s absence also puts even more weight on the pass rush, which was missing in action in the opener. If Tampa Bay can get pressure on Watson and force quicker decisions, that would take some of the strain off a cornerback group that can’t afford to be on an island all afternoon.
There is at least one encouraging note for Tampa Bay. Parrish is the only starter ruled out, and wide receiver Jalen McMillan is set to return after missing the opener with a knee injury.
Early in the season, the Buccaneers are still in decent shape on the injury front. But at cornerback, they’ll need the guys who are active to hold up and hold up fast.
In Other News...
Bucs Usage After That Loss Raises One Big Offensive Concern
The snap counts from Tampa Bays loss to Cleveland offered a revealing look at how the Buccaneers tried to piece together their offense, and it started with the passing game. Jalen McMillan saw a limited workload, while Ted Hurst III was asked to carry more of the load and ended up with a costly drop that stood out in a game where the Bucs never quite found the right rhythm.
Bucky Irving again looked like the most important piece of the offense, out-snapping Kenny Gainwell and handling the bulk of the backfield work. On the other side of the ball, David Walker made the most of limited opportunities with his first career sack, but the bigger takeaway for Tampa Bay was how uneven the offensive usage looked in a loss that raised questions about where the production is supposed to come from next. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Fans Already Feel The Void Lavonte David Left
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The bigger issue is the shadow left by Lavonte David, whose retirement this offseason ended a 14-year run in Tampa Bay and removed a player who had long been both a leader and a tone-setter. Rookie Josiah Trotter has already made more tackles than Anzalone, which only sharpens the contrast as the Buccaneers look for someone to replace not just the production, but the presence David brought to the defense. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Draw A Much Tougher Vikings QB Test Than Expected
A week after the matchup started looking like it might come with a different quarterback story, the Buccaneers now have a clearer picture of what awaits in Week 3. Vikings head coach Kevin OConnell confirmed that Kyler Murray has cleared concussion protocol and will start against Tampa Bay, with Carson Wentz staying in the backup role. It gives the Bucs a far different challenge than they were preparing for, especially with Minnesota still carrying the edge in the betting line.
For Tampa Bay, the bigger wrinkle is not just the name under center, but the uncertainty hanging over what comes next. Murrays return gives Minnesota a more dynamic look right away, while the possibility that his status beyond this week is still unsettled only adds another layer to the matchup. However the Vikings handle their quarterback situation after Sunday, the Buccaneers are getting a sturdier test than they may have expected when the week began. [Read more 🡒]