The Buccaneers got a little breathing room Monday after starting cornerback Jacob Parrish went down in Sunday’s 33-27 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Todd Bowles said Parrish has a back sprain, but the important part for Tampa Bay is that both his X-rays and MRI were negative.
That doesn’t mean the issue is gone. Parrish is still dealing with soreness, so his status will need to be monitored as the Bucs move toward their Week 2 home opener against the Cleveland Browns.
The injury happened in the second quarter while Parrish was tackling Bengals receiver Tee Higgins. He was able to walk off with trainers, was listed as questionable to return, and then was ruled out for the rest of the game. By that point, he had played only 20 defensive snaps.
His exit pushed Benjamin Morrison into a bigger role, and the second-year corner handled the opportunity well after coming in. That matters for a Tampa Bay secondary that is leaning on young players early.
Parrish opened the season as the starter on the outside opposite Zyon McCollum, after spending much of his rookie year in the slot. The Buccaneers value the way he can cover and move around, especially since he can slide back inside when the defense shifts personnel.
If Parrish can’t go against Cleveland, Morrison looks like the clearest option to pick up more snaps after stepping in against Cincinnati. Tampa Bay also has Ayden Garnes, Keionte Scott and Kevin Knowles on hand, and Sean Murphy-Bunting is another possibility to be brought up from the practice squad.
For now, the Bucs have some reason to feel better than they did Sunday night. The tests came back clean, and that suggests Parrish’s absence may not be a long one.
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