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Jenna Laine
TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving has been ruled out for Sunday’s game at the Seattle Seahawks due to a foot sprain, head coach Todd Bowles announced Friday.
There is also concern he could miss next week’s game against the San Francisco 49ers, a source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
In addition, coach Todd Bowles ruled out wide receiver Mike Evans — which was expected given he’s in the second week of recovery for a strained hamstring — cornerbacks Jamel Dean and Benjamin Morrison and backup safety/nickelback Christian Izien.
Irving finished the Bucs’ Week 4 game against the Philadelphia Eagles but left the locker room on crutches and has been in a walking boot all week. Bowles said earlier in the week, “If he’s not out of the boot by Friday, I’d be more inclined to say he’s probably not going to play.”
Irving has played not only a crucial role for the Bucs on the ground — since entering the league last season, his 4.9 yards per carry rank ninth among NFL running backs — but he’s also emerged as an important contributor in a passing game dealing with an injury-ravaged offensive line. Irving led the Bucs in Week 4 with 102 receiving yards and 63 rushing yards.
The Bucs will rely on Rachaad White — considered their best pass protector at running back and arguably their most dynamic receiving back — and Sean Tucker, along with rookie Josh Williams, a former undrafted free agent out of LSU.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield said Wednesday of potentially being short-handed: “I mean, yeah, having a lot of reps with Rachaad and you guys have seen what Tuck has been able to do, as well, with his speed — it’s elite. But yeah, just getting back to what we had prior to Bucky and then you add in a guy like Josh Williams if Bucky is not able to go…[He is] a guy that I told you guys during training camp that I really, really liked. [He’s a] smart kid, knows exactly what we’re trying to get done.
“So, it’s not the same without Buck because he brings a different spark to it and those explosive plays that you guys have seen for two years now that we’ll be missing, but we’ll see. Hopefully he’s able to play, but if not, we trust the guys that are in there.”
As far as cornerback, Dean is dealing with a hip injury and Morrison a hamstring injury. They had been splitting snaps as part of a rotation at outside cornerback while Zyon McCollum has been a full-time starter. The next in line is rookie Jacob Parrish, who has been the team’s starting nickelback since Week 1. Parrish spent the week preparing to play both outside and inside.
“Just taking my preparation to another level,” Parrish said. “[I am] watching more film, you never know what is going to happen. I can play corner, I can play nickel, so when my time comes, I will be out there, so I am ready.”
Izien, one of their most valuable depth pieces in that he has started games at both nickelback and safety and has even lined up as an outside cornerback in an emergency situation. He is dealing with a quad injury after starting the season off with an oblique injury.
