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Bryant, Clayton Questionable For Sunday's Game

Bucs wide receiver played against the Patriots in London (Getty)

Bucs wide receiver played against the Patriots in London (Getty)

Bucs starting wide receivers Antonio Bryant and Michael Clayton are listed as questionable for Sunday's game vs. the Green Bay Packers. Bryant believes he aggravated his knee on the plane ride home from London, but also suggested his contract status had something to do with missing practice time.



 

Tampa Bay wide receivers Antonio Bryant (knee) and Michael Clayton (wrist) are listed as questionable for Sunday's throwback game vs. the Green Bay Packers.

Bryant, who has been limited in several practice weeks throughout the season due to preseason knee surgery, has been limited in workouts this week after appearing to make progress in the two weeks leading up to Tampa Bay's bye week.

Bryant suggested his knee was aggravated on the plane ride home from London after Tampa Bay's loss to New England.

“That plane ride didn’t help me,” said Bryant. “I was good for like two weeks. I felt good and I had ran the best I had ran all season. Then I fell asleep on the plane ride and woke up and I was like, ‘Oh.’ It was fat. The swelling puts stress on the quad, which isn’t good, especially for my position where I’m running and cutting.”

Bryant has 16 catches for 229 yards and two touchdowns this season. If he can't play vs. the Packers, Bucs head coach Raheem Morris said the Bucs would use several players to play in his place.

“You have a plethora of guys, it would probably be a platoon,” said Morris. “You’ve got Brian Clark, Maurice Stovall, Yamon Figurs and Sammie Stroughter.”

The Bucs have not discussed the possibility of Bryant undergoing another knee surgery, but did express concern over the lingering knee issue.

“It’s never good when you don’t practice,” said Morris. “But he’s missed a bunch of practice this year. We have him as questionable. We’ll just have to see how he is on game day.

“Our doctors are in constant communication with him. He has his own doctors. We all look at it. It’s been double-checked. He’s had it looked at again. He’s tried to see what he can do to get better.”

Bryant caught a career-high 83 passes and seven touchdowns in his Buccaneer debut in 2008. That production earned him the franchise tag in Tampa Bay, which prevented Bryant from testing free agency.

Although the franchise tag earned Bryant a $9.88 million base salary this year, Bryant expressed concern about his long-term playing career in the NFL when discussing his limited status in practice this year.

“I don’t have no contract. I’m not Michael Clayton. I don’t have no contract. I have to get right, man,” said Bryant, who was referring to the five-year, $23 million deal Clayton signed as a free agent this offseason. “It doesn’t do me any good to go out there for a game or two and then be right back in the same position.”

Speaking of Clayton, the Bucs feel better about his chances of playing against the Packers than they do Bryant.

“He had full participation the last couple of days, so I’m pretty fired up there,” Morris said of Clayton. “His wrist is kind of weak, but he’s out there practicing.”

As for Bryant, he remains hopeful that he'll be able to play against the Packers and help the 0-7 Bucs record their first win of the season.

“I don’t know yet,” said Bryant. “It’s all about going out to the stadium and seeing how it feels. Coach Morris will let me know. If I can’t go, hey, it’s all about longeveity.”

In other injury news, Bucs cornerback Aqib Talib (ankle) and guard Jeremy Zuttah are probable for Sunday's game.

In addition to Bryant and Clayton, Bucs nickel cornerback Elbert Mack (ankle) is listed as questionable.

 

Comments

japerez3

Clayton has a "weak wrist"?

Sounds more like a "limp wrist".

4:54pm, November 6, 2009

bigfan1

Claytons "wrist is weak" is an understatement. weak wrist, stone hands are not a good mix.
Why even report clayton? Oh, heah, he has to play instead of Stoval, etc.
On Bryant, first, learn how to speak English...man. then shut up go on the field and play.
AGAIN- HIRE THE CHIN, GET RID OF THESE CLOUNS, GET SUH IN THE DRAFT FRIST OVERALL. NEW COACH SMACK TALIP IN THE MOUTH (hire Tom Cable to be our HR dept.??) and get a Hardy Nickerson person for the locker room.
OUT

4:54pm, November 6, 2009

bucfan47

Losing both for this game may not be a bad thing.

1:11pm, November 6, 2009

mjohnson062

They're questionable for every game. The entire team is questionable. I shall have hope until the last creamsicle walks off the field.

I'd say if they could get pressure on Rogers they'll have a chance, and who knows, maybe they can. Maybe monkeys will fly out of my a** as well.

Go Bucs!

2:46pm, November 6, 2009

sunrisejeff

Honestly glad we didn't give this guy the big dollar contract...while I do not doubt for a second he has talent he isn't nor has he ever been a team player.

2:46pm, November 6, 2009

dpc614

Can clayton please not play? Because that's the only way that the coaching staff is gonna get his buma$$$ off the field and get stroughter in there. 2 touchdowns in 5years?? why is he still starting??

3:03pm, November 6, 2009

Bucweiser

dpc614, because Raheem has a dream...

3:07pm, November 6, 2009

BJFITTRO

I really feel bad for the players on this team that have class, character, and professionalism, (Barber, Caddy,etc), and have to work with these bums !

3:35pm, November 6, 2009

tatmanfish

so where the part about his practice time having to do with his contract? i read where he said he doesnt have a contract like clayton, and how it doesnt do him anygood to go out play for a game or two and re-injure his knee and be back to where he started. it sounds like his lack of a contract is not injury friendly, and his injury is not practice friendly. if you wants to stretch that to where his contract effects his practice time, i guess thats your porogative. i think your statement of the contract and practice time being directly related is a bit far fetched or just some fluff to make people read this article. either way i dont agree. a guy thats not 100% isnt going to risk his career for a few more practices. bryants problem is he hasnt even showed up on gamedays due to the injury.

3:37pm, November 6, 2009

drt1066

Clayton has "a weak wrist"? Is that his excuse for dropped balls?

3:39pm, November 6, 2009

twodog

OK Boys today we will all take turns. Everyone will get to play. If you do good or bad doesn't matter. Know one will be mad at you. Just do your best. If that isn't good enough to win, just go in the tank and there will be chest bumps and high fives for everyone. We meet at my house after the game for cake and doughnuts.

3:53pm, November 6, 2009

Horse

Bryant, Clayton are yesterday; period! We move on and lets keep playing the younger guys who play through their injuries and just so happen to not have multi million dollar contracts.

Now lets talk about ...Penn
If we pay Penn his money next season we will just have pissed away millions to use on other players.
As soon as Penn signs a contract he will eat a box of donuts, then another, and another.

I am so off the Morris bandwagon. He has to go, like NOW!
He is hurting this team, not helping it. He has no clue how to be a Head coach and what that entails because he was so inexperienced. .
I hate to say this, but whoever called him RAH.Rah.fast talker was correct.

After the Packer Game, Morris must go!

4:07pm, November 6, 2009

1bucfanjeff

Bryant won't be back. Bucs will not franchise him again, yet his potential is still more than good enough to get a nice contract with another team. If I'm the Bucs I offer him a incentive contract filled with the potential of making lots of money based on playing time and stats. It's win win for both sides.

Clayton has a weak wrist? Uhm, he already has problems catching...and you're telling us this why? To use it as an excuse later?

I just hope we come out inspired for this game. I can't fault the players effort, but scheme understanding and responsibility has been....well...a learning curve.

If Kyle Moore is inactive again, I'm going to scream...play this dude. Let's see what he's got.

5:08pm, November 6, 2009

surferdudes

As long as the Bucs work on their core beliefs, everything will be O.K., right Rah,Rah?

5:40pm, November 6, 2009

scubog

I know we all want to address defensive line in the off-season but wide receiver is quickly catching up in terms of need. That's the position that should be upgraded through free-agency.

6:28am, November 7, 2009

cremdonado

Sounds like guys are playing soft and giving up..Bryant was a quitter before and Clayton quits every time a pass goes his way...

We need to part ways with these guys in the off season...

2:35pm, November 7, 2009

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