The Bucs are getting healthier as a team but aren’t quite all the way their just yet. Head coach Todd Bowles has ruled out four players for their afternoon game against the Rams on Sunday. Those players are safety Antoine Winfield Jr, tight end Cam Brate, left guard Luke Goedeke and wide receiver Russell Gage.

Big Question For Bucs In The Secondary

Winfield had been making progress as he’s began practicing this week, but still needs a little more time before he can play. Bowles did say that everyone else is in play for this week. That means there’s a possibility that Carlton Davis III and Sean Murphy-Bunting will return to the lineup after both came back to practice this week as well.

If both of those corners play, the Bucs will have to make a decision about nickel corner. Typically with everyone healthy, Winfield would occupy that spot and the Bucs would implement Mike Edwards and Logan Ryan before he went on injured reserve, which has that role currently taken by Keanu Neal.

But with Winfield unavailable, Tampa Bay might choose to play Dee Delaney in the slot or go with Murphy-Bunting, who is better as an outside corner and struggled at nickel the previous year.

Bucs Replacing Other Starting Positions

Bucs LG Nick Leverett – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Each of these players were also out last week, so the Bucs have already adjusted their lineups. Rookie Cade Otton continues to be the starting tight end with Brate out, while Nick Leverett steps in again for Goedeke in his second consecutive start.

This is a huge opportunity for Leverett as many have called for him to be the starting left guard even when Goedeke is ready to return. Playing against Aaron Donald is probably the most difficult test he can get, so if he hold up against the future Hall of Famer, the job might just stay with him.

Julio Jones will most likely be ruled as questionable before Sunday’s game. He was able to play last week and made two catches for 21 yards and a touchdown in the Thursday night loss to the Ravens. Jones just doesn’t look right as he deals with a PCL injury. He’ll be the Bucs’ third receiver option and if he can’t go, a combination of Breshad Perriman, Scotty Miller or potentially the recently signed Tyler Johnson could be put in that role.