Lions
Update, September 25: Josiah Trotter is out for Sunday's home game against the Minnesota Vikings. The Buccaneers' final injury report of Week 3 lists the rookie linebacker as out with a shoulder injury, after he did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday and was limited on Friday (Buccaneers.com, September 25).
Key facts
- Josiah Trotter is officially out for Sunday's game against the Vikings with a shoulder injury (Buccaneers.com, September 25).
- Trotter did not practice on Wednesday, September 23, or Thursday, September 24, and was limited on Friday, September 25 (Buccaneers.com).
- Todd Bowles said SirVocea Dennis and Christian Rozeboom will both play inside linebacker depending on the package (Yahoo Sports, September 25).
- Trotter has 24 tackles, one sack and an interception returned for a touchdown through two games: 11 tackles in Cincinnati and 13 against Cleveland (Pro Football Talk, September 25; Yahoo Sports; CBS Sports).
- Rueben Bain Jr. (groin) is also out, while Anthony Nelson (shin) went full on Friday (Buccaneers.com, September 25).
- The Buccaneers, 0-2, host the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, September 27, at 4:05 PM ET, 22:05 CEST, on FOX.
Trotter did not practice on Wednesday, September 23, or Thursday, September 24, according to the Buccaneers' official injury reports. Todd Bowles said SirVocea Dennis and Christian Rozeboom will both play inside linebacker depending on the package, and Alex Anzalone stays in the rotation (Yahoo Sports, September 25).
How the shoulder got hurt
Trotter was hurt in the 23-19 loss to the Cleveland Browns on September 20. He left the game temporarily while holding his shoulder, came back and finished, and still led all players with 13 tackles (Yahoo Sports, CBS Sports). It was the second straight game with double-digit tackles for a player who opened his career with 11 tackles in Cincinnati, which puts him at 24 through two games (Pro Football Talk).
On Wednesday, Todd Bowles was asked about the harness Trotter wore in practice. Bowles said the harness is not new: "he's had that on the entire year," and the shoulder is sore (Sports Illustrated, September 23). Beyond that, the team has not described the injury.
The Buccaneers' practice report
Player | Pos | Injury | Wed | Thu | Fri | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Josiah Trotter | LB | Shoulder | DNP | DNP | Limited | Out |
Rueben Bain Jr. | OLB | Groin | DNP | DNP | DNP | Out |
Anthony Nelson | OLB | Shin | DNP | Limited | Full | none |
DL | Rest | none | Limited | Full | none | |
QB | Illness | Full | Full | Full | none | |
WR | Knee | Full | Full | Full | none | |
CB | Back | Full | Full | Full | none |
Source: Buccaneers.com, September 25. Rookie edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. is also out with a groin injury from the same Cleveland game; our report on Bain has the background and the edge rotation. Nelson, the backup outside linebacker, returned to full practice on Friday.
Why Trotter matters this week
Trotter has been productive from his first snap. His debut in Cincinnati included an interception he returned for a touchdown, covered in Trotter's first interception, a pick six against the Bengals. Against Cleveland he led everyone on the field in tackles, and Tampa Bay is 0-2 while it looks for a first win.
Minnesota has Kyler Murray back at quarterback after he cleared the concussion protocol. The Vikings under coordinator Brian Flores have sent an extra rusher on nearly 80 percent of their snaps (Buccaneers.com game preview), so the linebackers behind the line matter. The depth chart shows the Buccaneers' linebackers.
What comes next
Kickoff at Raymond James Stadium is Sunday, September 27, at 4:05 PM ET, 22:05 CEST, on FOX; how to watch from Europe has the details.
A rookie with 24 tackles in two games will watch from the sideline. Dennis and Rozeboom now carry the middle of the defense against a Minnesota offense with Murray back.
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