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About the Author: Scott Reynolds
Latest Bucs Headlines
The Bucs feared that strong safety Jordan Whitehead had suffered a torn pectoral muscle late in the team’s 30-7 win over the Giants in New York. Whitehead stuck out his left arm while tackling New York quarterback Tommy DeVito and wound up tearing his pectoral in the process.
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported on Monday morning that the team believed Whitehead suffered a season-ending injury and that the team was waiting for an MRI to confirm Tampa Bay’s fears.
#Bucs S Jordan Whitehead is feared to have torn his pec, an injury that would end his season, sources say. He’s getting an MRI to confirm the diagnosis.
Last week, Tampa claimed S Mike Edwards, who won a Super Bowl ring with them. Now, he’ll provide key help in the secondary. pic.twitter.com/ziU7VmV7Tp
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 25, 2024
But as it turns out, Whitehead’s MRI came back with good news. Whitehead didn’t suffer a torn pec, just a strained pec. He’ll miss a few games, but could return by the end of the season or perhaps the playoffs if Tampa Bay qualifies. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo had the news on Tuesday.
#Buccaneers S Jordan Whitehead is going to miss time with a pec injury suffered Sunday, though there’s a chance he could return this season, sources say. It’ll depend on the healing and if TB makes a playoff run. But no surgery scheduled and not definitively out for the year. pic.twitter.com/Q4sGRppLGu
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) November 26, 2024
What Now For The Bucs At Safety?
Bucs SS Jordan Whitehead and Giants QB Tommy DeVito – Photo by: USA Today
Jordan Whitehead wasn’t having the year the team expected him to have when Tampa Bay re-signed him to a two-year, $9 million deal this past offseason. There is a chance that newly re-signed safety Mike Edwards could have eventually unseated Whitehead in the starting lineup.
At the same time, the Bucs were just getting to use their dime package, which is three safeties on the field at the same time in Edwards, Whitehead and free safety Antoine Winfield Jr. to help get inside linebacker K.J. Britt off the field on third-and-long situations or obvious passing downs. Now with Whitehead out for several weeks, Edwards will likely slide in as his replacement, but Bucs head coach and defensive play-caller Todd Bowles said it will depend on the assignments and the game plan.
“It would definitely be situational depending on how we’re playing somebody and what we have to put in,” Bowles said.
Bucs S Christian Izien – Photo by: USA Today
Bowles could turn to versatile Christian Izien, who had 10 tackles against the Giants on Sunday subbing for nickelback Tykee Smith. Izien played free safety for four games this year from Week 2 to Week 5 in place of the injured Winfield and was productive during that span.
“He’s probably the quickest one from A to B, as far as getting – when a quarterback is releasing the ball to when a receiver is catching it, he can take off right away,” Bowles said of Izien. “He’s a very sure tackler that way. His vision is expanding, it’s been very good for us in the underneath coverage as well as some of the zone stuff back deep. He’s excelled in coverage for us.”
With former Bucs safety Kaevon Merriweather signing elsewhere after the team released him last week, the team could turn to their practice squad to add another safety to the 53-man roster if Whitehead goes on injured reserve. Tampa Bay liked what young safeties Rashad Wisdom and Eric Banks were able to do in the preseason and both have been on the practice squad all year.
