THURSDAY: Both David and Fournette are now on IR. The Bucs ended the regular seasons of both starters with these moves, but the door will be open for each to return by Tampa Bay’s first playoff game.
WEDNESDAY: The Buccaneers’ sudden availability concerns now stretch to their defensive second level. They are set to be without Lavonte David for the regular season’s remainder, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.
David suffered a foot injury during Tampa Bay’s shutout loss to New Orleans. He will join Leonard Fournette in missing the regular season’s final three games. Both starters are obvious IR candidates, with three games remaining until the playoffs.
The team’s longest-tenured player, David re-signed on a third deal to stay in Tampa this offseason. The 10th-year linebacker has been a starter since being chosen in the 2012 second round. He missed two games earlier this year but has played in the Bucs’ past seven, running his tackle total to 97 and mixing in two sacks. David, 31, played a key role in keeping the Saints at nine points, recording 11 tackles and a sack.
While Sunday night’s Saints game cost the Bucs David and Fournette for a while, Chris Godwin endured the worst blow in suffering a torn ACL months away from free agency. Tampa Bay may also be without Mike Evans for multiple weeks, though the eighth-year wideout’s timetable is not yet certain. Fournette, who is also months away from what should be a more lucrative run in free agency, sustained a hamstring injury that led to him leaving Raymond James Stadium on crutches.
After entering Week 15 tied with Green Bay at 11-3, Tampa Bay’s odds to obtain a bye for the first time since 2002 are down to 5% — per FiveThirtyEight.com — going into Week 16. The Bucs’ homestretch does feature three winnable games — two against the Panthers, one against the Jets — but the defending champs will be missing some of their top players going into the postseason.