The Bucs have a laundry list of injuries heading into their Week 15 matchup against the Bengals. On Friday, head coach Todd Bowles notified the media that four players from the defense have all been definitively ruled out for the game.

Outside linebackers Genard Avery (abdomen/oblique) and Carl Nassib (pectoral), nose tackle Vita Vea (calf) and cornerback Jamel Dean (toe) will all be unavailable as Bowles stated in the video. The Bucs will be very light at outside linebacker and take a huge hit along the defensive line and in the secondary as well.

Bucs OLB Carl Nassib – Photo by: USA Today

It didn’t come as a huge surprise that Vea and Dean weren’t going to be ready. Vea was in for only four plays in their last game and Bowles doubted he’d play this week. Dean was in a boot all week and Ian Rapoport had reported that he would miss a little time.

Many Bucs Players Are Game-Time Decisions

On the bright side, there is a chance that other key defenders could go against the Bengals, including a couple that haven’t played in several weeks. Bowles said that outside linebacker Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (hip), cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting  (quad) and safeties Antoine Winfield Jr. (ankle) and Mike Edwards (hamstring) are all questionable and game time-decisions.

Browns RB Nick Chubb and Bucs DB Antoine Winfield Jr. – Photo by: USA Today

Murphy-Bunting, Winfield and Edwards all haven’t played since Week 12 in a loss to the Browns. While the Bucs have solid depth at safety, they could really use one of them back to shore up the rest of secondary. If Murphy-Bunting or Winfield can’t return, the Bucs will have to utilize both Zyon McCollum and Dee Delaney at outside corner and nickel. Should Murphy-Bunting be ready, he can play outside and Delaney would stay in the slot. If Winfield returns, he can resume his role int he slot and Tampa Bay can decide who goes outside.

There was not an update on the game status of right tackle Tristan Wirfs (Ankle) or wide receiver Julio Jones (knee) but Wirfs practiced two days in a row and Jones returned on Friday. The injury will come out this afternoon with their designation.