Bucs’ Jordan Whitehead To Miss Time

NOVEMBER 26: The MRI has brought back encouraging news, and NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo notes no surgery will be required in this case. Whitehead is set to miss time, but he could return to the Buccaneers later in the campaign or during the postseason.

NOVEMBER 25: The Buccaneers’ Week 12 win may have included a notable injury in the secondary. Safety Jordan Whitehead is believed to have suffered a torn pec, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

An MRI will take place today to confirm the diagnosis, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times adds. Provided the team’s fears turn out to be true, Whitehead will be sidelined for the remainder of the campaign. His absence would leave the Buccaneers without a full-time safety starter down the stretch.

Whitehead spent his first four seasons with Tampa Bay, and upon seeing his rookie deal expire he joined the Jets. The former fourth-rounder started all 34 of his games for New York, racking up six total interceptions along the way. He returned to the Bucs in free agency, inking a two-year, $9MM pact. Prior to going down on Sunday, Whitehead recorded 76 tackles and three pass deflections in 2024.

Antoine Winfield Jr. has missed time this year, but his return to action paved the way for his starting safety tandem with Whitehead to continue through to the end of the campaign. Instead, the latter’s injury will create a first-team vacancy at the position. Mike Edwards – who was claimed off waivers less than two weeks ago – could be in line for an increased workload during his second Tampa Bay stint.

Edwards played for the Bucs from 2019-22, and after falling out of the rotation for the Bills this season he was waived following the trade deadline. Tampa Bay’s decision to claim him marked another safety reunion not long after the one with Whitehead, and it could prove to be key to the team’s postseason push over the coming weeks. The Buccaneers sit at 5-6 on the year, one game behind the Falcons for top spot in the NFC South.

Defense has been a sore spot in a number of categories this season, with Tampa Bay ranking 29th in passing yards allowed per game. Losing Whitehead would hinder the team’s secondary, although having a familiar option in the form of Edwards could help smooth out the process of replacing him in the starting lineup. Whitehead is owed $4.5MM next year, but none of his scheduled base salary for the season ($3.75MM) is guaranteed, so his progress in recovering from the injury could be key in determining whether or not he remains with the team for 2025.