BHSN contributor Tom Krasniqi reports that Hayes injured his shoulder in the second quarter of the Bucs' final game of the season on Jan. 3.

Hayes then had surgery to repair a torn labrum in late January. He's expected to miss three to four months of football activity, and he's expected to return in time for training camp in July.

Hayes started 13 games in 2009, his second season in the NFL. He recorded 80 tackles, three sacks, two interceptions and a forced fumble.

Source: Bright House Sports Network - Tom Krasniqi

PewterReport.com's Take: Kudos to our television partners at Bright House Sports Network for breaking this news. Unfortunately, it's not good news for the Buccaneers. Hayes made a great deal of progress in his first year as Tampa Bay's starting weakside linebacker. The Bucs were planning on upgrading the strongside linebacker spot in free agency or the draft, but if Hayes' injury is a serious concern, the team may be forced to address the weakside spot as well, which means re-signing Angelo Crowell could become a higher priority. This is a situation that's definitely worth monitoring.