After the injury report came out on Wednesday, it looks that starting left guard Ali Marpet suffered a concussion in the Bucs’ 25-23 win over the Giants on Monday. 

Marpet will be in concussion protocol for the time being, and since the game was a day later in the week, it hurts his chances of playing in the Bucs’ home match-up against the Saints on Sunday night due to having less time to recover. 

It’s no question that this would be a tough loss for the Bucs’ offensive line, who have allowed just two sacks over the past three games. Marpet is a leader on the unit and considered arguably the best lineman they have on the team. Pro Football Focus gave him a grade of 84.9 for his performance during the year so far.

If Marpet can’t go for the game on Sunday, the Bucs have a few options they can choose to replace him. Backup center A.Q. Shipley, who Bruce Arians has praised highly, can move over a spot and play there.

Tampa Bay can also decide to put Joe Haeg in at guard, but we’ve seen him used as an extra blocker on the edge of the line in his own package over the last two games. Another route they could go is with backup guard and third-year player, Aaron Stinnie.

While it’s their second consecutive primetime game and third of the season overall, Sunday night’s meeting with the Saints will be the first one of the year for the Bucs at home with first place in the NFC South at stake.