Injuries continue to pile up for the Bucs. Days after placing Lavonte David and Leonard Fournette on injured reserve and ruling out Mike Evans and Antoine Winfield Jr, Tampa will lose another starter to injury. The team has announced outside linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul has also been ruled out of Sunday’s matchup against the Carolina Panthers.

After participating in full during Wednesday’s practice, Pierre-Paul missed both Thursday and Friday as a non-participant. He was listed as doubtful on Friday’s final injury report. It’s normal for Pierre-Paul. to receive days off, especially while playing injured. The 12-year veteran has been fighting through a fractured finger and torn rotator cuff nearly all season. This time, the maladies will keep him from game action.

The injuries have noticeably hindered Pierre-Paul’s performance on the field. On the season, the almost 33-year old has only three sacks and just 24 pressures on 388 pass rush opportunities. Pierre-Paul is far off his 2020 numbers, with just 31 tackles, three for a loss, and one forced fumble. Meanwhile rookie Joe Tryon-Shoyinka has been outperforming him, tallying four sacks and more pressures on less snaps.

Pewter Report’s Jon Ledyard recently detailed why Tryon-Shoyinka should be starting over Pierre-Paul. With the NFC South in their grasp, Tryon-Shoyinka will need to step up in Pierre-Paul’s absence. He has the chance to make a case for why he should be the starter going forward for the Bucs. It’s another setback for the team, but if they can win on Sunday, they’ll capture their first division crown since 2007.