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Bucs’ Latest Injury Update: Bucs at Giants

Originally posted on PewterReport.com | By Scott Reynolds | Last updated Nov 24, 2024 10:25 AM ET

Here is the latest injury news prior to Sunday’s Bucs at Giants game at MetLife Stadium. The team announced that left tackle Tristan Wirfs has been downgraded to doubtful due to his knee injury, and that is not unexpected as the Bucs weren’t counting on him to play this week. Yet the team is encouraged that he may only miss one game – this week’s contest versus the Giants – and that he may be in play in Week 13 at Carolina.

However, the Bucs were hopeful that during the bye week that the knee injury rookie nickelback Tykee Smith suffered would heal and that he would be available against the Giants. Unfortunately, he was downgraded to out on Saturday and did not accompany the team to New York for Sunday’s game. Smith will now miss two games and hasn’t played since suiting up in Kansas City.

Tampa Bay has several other players listed as questionable, including two key starters who have missed several games due to hamstring injuries in wide receiver Mike Evans and cornerback Jamel Dean. Evans was a full participant in Thursday’s practice after being limited on Wednesday and Friday. The team is hopeful that he can play and the expectation is that he will be active and see how much he can handle in terms of workload.

Dean was a full participant in practice all week, which is a good sign.

Here is where the rest of the injured Bucs stand heading into Sunday’s kickoff at 1:00 p.m. ET.

Bucs Injury Update

The Bucs are encouraged that cornerback Zyon McCollum will play against the Giants after he was a full participant in Friday’s practice after resting his injured hamstring on Wednesday and Thursday by not practicing. As long as McCollum doesn’t have a setback in pregame warm-ups the expectation is that he will start opposite Jamel Dean at cornerback.

Defensive tackle Greg Gaines was limited with a foot injury during practice on Thursday and Friday after not practicing on Wednesday. He could be a game time decision depending on how his foot feels during warm-ups at the stadium.

Cornerback Troy Hill is also dealing with a foot and ankle injury and had the same practice schedule that Gaines had. Hill missed Wednesday’s practice but was limited on Thursday and Friday. The Bucs are hopeful that he can play as he might see some time at nickelback in place of the injured Tykee Smith. Christian Izien is expected to start at nickelback in place of Smith, but Hill could get a series or two in the mix as well.

The good news is that Jalen McMillan’s hamstring injury has apparently healed and after missing games at Kansas City and against San Francisco, he will play on Sunday against New York. So not only does Baker Mayfield get Mike Evans back, he also gets the rookie receiver who was drafted in the third round back as well.

This article first appeared on Pewter Report and was syndicated with permission.

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