At times it feels like the Bucs can’t get through a game without a significant injury. They didn’t even the start the season without a player going out. It’s safe to say that through four weeks, the injury bug has hit the Bucs relatively hard.

While many have bemoaned over the Bucs’ early bye week coming up in Week 5, it may have arrived at the right time this year. Players that were out for Sunday’s game include cornerbacks Jamel Dean (neck/shoulder) and Derrek Pitts (hamstring), defensive tackle Calijah Kancey (calf) and inside linebacker SirVocea Dennis (hamstring).

Of that group, Dean is the only one that was missing just his first game. Pitts has been out for two, Kancey was injured in Week 1 and has yet to return, and Dennis hasn’t played since Week 1.

Tampa Bay has a week off to rehab and get healthier before Week 6 when they have a home game against the Lions in which the Bucs will be wearing their creamsicle uniforms. On Monday, Bucs head coach Todd Bowles was asked about if any could get back to practicing when the team returns.

Todd Bowles Gives Update On Bucs Who’ve Been Out

Bucs head coach Todd Bowles – Photo by: USA Today

“I would hope so, we’ll see how they progress this week,” Todd Bowles said. “They have a week to get better and we’ll reevaluate once the next week starts, but we would hope to have a lot of people back by then.”

Calijah Kancey’s injury has been the most frustrating for Bucs fans just for the mere fact that he was Tampa Bay’s first-round pick and injured his calf before all the pads came on in training camp. We’ve barely gotten to see him as he missed all of the preseason and played in just 11 snaps in the season opener against the Vikings before his injury flared up again. He did look good in that brief time, registering a quarterback hit.

Bowles mentioned that they were being more cautious since the calf injury has already acted up once.

“It’s the kind of pain that’s a tolerated type of deal,” Bowles said. “You want him 100 percent. He came back last time, he felt it a little bit, so you want to be a little more cautious this time.”

This doesn’t even include the fact that cornerback Carlton Davis III had just returned from a toe injury that forced him to miss Weeks 2 and 3. Plus, Vita Vea has been dealing with a pectoral injury while Devin White has been limited due to a groin and foot injury.

Injury Updates For Mike Evans And Ryan Neal

Bucs WR Mike Evans and Saints CB Marshon Lattimore – Photo by: USA Today

And on top of all this, wide receiver Mike Evans left in the first half against the Saints because of a hamstring issue while safety Ryan Neal exited early in the first quarter with a concussion. Todd Bowles still didn’t have an update on either player when we spoke to him.

“Not at this time,” Bowles said. “They got to get some tests run when they come in. We’ll have updates later.”

Luckily, the Bucs were able to get great production from those players who replaced the two. Chris Godwin had his best game of the season with eight catches for 114 yards while Trey Palmer and Deven Thompkins added a pair of touchdowns and combined for six catches for 51 yards.

Dee Delaney came in for Neal at safety and recorded his second interception in two games.

What was once thought as lacking depth in those areas have turned out to really help the Bucs to this 3-1 start. They’ve were able to hold it down and help might just be on the way after the bye week.

“A lot of guys stepped up for injured guys,” Bowles said after Sunday’s win. “A lot of injured guys played and they played well as a group and as a team. I thought it was a great team win for us.”