The Buccaneers could be without Lavonte David for the near future. The cornerstone defender suffered what’s believed to be a high ankle sprain in Tampa Bay’s loss to the Vikings on Sunday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
David will undergo an MRI Monday morning, which will lead to a clearer timetable. But given the nature of this injury, it’s likely the stalwart outside linebacker misses some time.
Should David miss games because of this malady, they will mark his first absences since the 2014 season. David missed two games that year. During his other four NFL seasons, the former second-round pick suited up for all 16 Bucs contests. A hamstring injury sidelined David in 2014.
A former first-team All-Pro, David made seven tackles in Tampa Bay’s Week 3 defeat. A cart transported the sixth-year defender to the locker room. Worries about a knee injury swirled after the seminal sequence, but it appears David’s dodged a season-ending setback.
The Bucs were already playing without fellow standout ‘backer Kwon Alexander. Rookie Kendell Beckwith started in the middle for Alexander, who missed the Vikings matchup with a hamstring injury. So, Tampa’s defensive second level is reeling at the moment.