It was a rough start to the season for Bucs CB Sean Murphy-Bunting, who suffered a serious-looking elbow injury in the first quarter against Dallas. Murphy-Bunting fell to the ground in a collision near the goal line after surrendering a touchdown catch to CeeDee Lamb. When the defender landed, his arm twisted in an ugly fashion.

But there was some good news after the game. Bucs head coach Bruce Arians seemed optimistic that Murphy-Bunting’s injury would not be as devastating as it appeared to be.

“I think Sean [Murphy-Bunting] is going to be okay,” Arians said. “It’s a dislocated elbow, but I think he’s going to be alright.”

The Bucs third-year cornerback shared a similar sentiment in this postgame tweet.

Murphy-Bunting battled injuries all of last season, playing through a host of maladies that impacted his performance. The former second round pick struggled in 2020, but turned it around with three interceptions and improved play in the postseason. If healthy, Murphy-Bunting would be one of a handful of defensive players for the Bucs that would rarely leave the field.

Replacing Murphy-Bunting on Thursday night was Jamel Dean, who was beaten early and often by the Cowboys receivers. Dean has played a lot of snaps over the past two seasons, but if Murphy-Bunting misses significant time, the third-year corner will be counted on to go the distance every game.

The Bucs next game is in ten days against the Atlanta Falcons at Raymond James Stadium.

Injury Update

According to the Tampa Bay Times Rick Stroud, the outlook on Murphy-Bunting is more optimistic than originally expected. Arians should have an update at 12:30 pm EST.