The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been finding ways to win despite their offensive weapons being decimated by injuries. Quarterback Baker Mayfield has blossomed in Tampa under head coach Todd Bowles.
The injuries to their wide receivers already had fans worried. They have also been waiting for their star running back, Bucky Irving, to return from the injuries that have plagued him most of this season. Fans are concerned that their success may not be sustainable without him. Will Irving return to the field for their Week 7 game against the Detroit Lions on “Monday Night Football?”
What Is the Latest Update on Bucky Irving, and When Will He Return?
The Bucs have already lost Chris Godwin and Mike Evans to the injured reserve earlier this season. Now, with Emeka Egbuka injured, the team is hoping to have someone return and for the rest of the offense to stay healthy.
Godwin is expected to remain out until after the Buccaneers’ Week 9 bye. Bowles said that he hopes Evans will be able to return to practice this week, creating an opportunity for him to play in Week 7. Egbuka is expected to miss time with his hamstring injury and isn’t likely to play against the Lions.
Tampa can hardly afford to continue to lose Irving for any significant amount of time. However, the second-year running back has struggled with injuries all season. Those injuries have negatively affected his PFSN RB Impact grade. He currently has a D+, which ranks him 38th in the league.
As of Thursday, the star running back did not return to practice, and he is not expected to play this week.
During the Bucs’ Week 4 loss against the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, Irving sustained a foot sprain. He was able to continue playing, even catching a magnificent 72-yard touchdown reception.
Fans thought the injury might be minor, but then it was announced that he was having an MRI on his foot. That injury was expected to keep him on the sideline for a few weeks.
Then Adam Schefter announced that it wasn’t just the foot; Irving was also dealing with a partially dislocated shoulder. The shoulder injury wasn’t reported to the team until Tuesday, following the Eagles’ loss.
Schefter noted that the shoulder was more concerning than his foot and said he expected him to miss two weeks.
Now Irving has missed both Week 5 and Week 6 and has been unable to participate in practice. The shoulder injury causes instability in the joint, which is a major issue for a running back who routinely drops his shoulder to try to break tackles.
It seems like Irving will also return in Week 9 after the team’s bye, giving him two more weeks to heal up.
