The Bucs announced on Wednesday that they have placed cornerback Richard Sherman on injured reserve. Sherman was working his way back from a hamstring injury, but then suffered a separate calf injury while warming up before the Washington game that forced that Bucs to list him as a game day inactive.

At practice, Sherman was seen with a walking boot on his left leg, signaling that it could be some time before he’s playing again. Bruce Arians had said earlier in the week that he “seriously doubted” Sherman would be back anytime soon.

Sherman signed with the Bucs in Week 4 and was quickly thrown into the mix in a game against the Patriots out of necessity, playing 98 percent of the snaps after just three days of practice. He played in almost all of the defensive snaps the next week against Miami, but then pulled his hamstring in the opening minutes of the Bucs’ Week 6 win on Thursday night in Philadelphia.

In essentially two games and six more snaps of a third, Sherman made 11 tackles and recovered a fumble. After he was unable to play on Sunday and Dee Delaney suffered a concussion in the game, the Bucs were in dire straights at corner having just Jamel Dean, Ross Cockrell and Pierre Desir available.

Help could be on the way for the Bucs, though, as they have two spots available on the roster following Sherman’s move to the IR. Cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting has been practicing for the last two weeks, while Carlton Davis III began running individually with trainers watching.

With the two spots open, presumably Murphy-Bunting and wide receiver Scotty Miller, who has also been practicing for the same amount of time, would take those slots. There’s still no timetable for a return for Davis, but the fact that he was out there is a good sign.

The Bucs have an extra day to see who can be available for them at corner before they play a home game against the New York Giants on Monday night.