The Bucs lost another important defender on Thursday night, as cornerback Richard Sherman left the game with a pulled hamstring in the first quarter. In Sherman’s stead, Dee Delaney played every remaining snap against the Eagles. While the Bucs gave up just 115 passing yards, Delaney isn’t a lock to start in Week 7.

“That’s yet to be determined,” Arians said on Friday. “Pierre [Desir] has had a couple really good weeks. We kinda cross-trained him the past few weeks as a nickel and a dime, so we went with Dee. But Dee has played good for us in both games he’s got in there. I’m not afraid if it is [Delaney that starts]. We’ll wait and see.”

Earlier, Arians said he thought Delaney played “a heck of a ball game”. Per Pro Football Focus, Delaney allowed two catches on four targets for 30 yards. He also had a holding penalty in the end zone, which helped him earn the Bucs lowest defensive grade in Week 6. We’ll see if tape reveals some poor coverages that weren’t targeted by Eagles QB Jalen Hurts.

Bucs CB Pierre Desir – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Desir is the more proven cornerback of the two, and was ahead of Delaney in the rotation in Week 5. But the Bucs saw an opportunity to train Desir as a dime defender, in order to get linebacker Kevin Minter off the field at times. Late in the game, with the Eagles in pass-obvious situations, Desir played six snaps in Minter’s place.

“Pierre was playing a lot of nickel or dime in this game,” Arians said. “We didn’t want to lose that package. He was covering [Eagles TE Zach] Ertz. Dee’s [Delaney] done a good job for us when he’s been out there.”

The Bucs will be without Sherman for a few weeks, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Also, it’s unlikely starting cornerbacks Carlton Davis or Sean Murphy-Bunting will be ready by Week 7. The Bucs will need to rely on Jamel Dean, Ross Cockrell, Desir and Delaney when they face the Bears next Sunday.