Buccaneers place Adrian Clayborn on injured reserve

Adrian Clayborn is headed to injured reserve with a torn biceps, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced. The fourth-year defensive end was listed as limited with an elbow injury on the injury report, so that injury must either have been more serious than initially diagnosed, or he suffered an other injury in practice.

Adrian Clayborn's contract runs out after this season and it seems a little unlikely at this point that he'll come back to the team, as he's struggled to get to the passer over the past three years. Clayborn was the team's first-round back in 2011, a draft filled with pass-rushing talent, but has not lived up to the talent displayed by others in that draft class.

The Bucs re-signed Scott Solomon to bolster the depth chart at defensive end. William Gholston is most likely to replace Clayborn at left defensive end, although he was limited on Wednesday, with Da'Quan Bowers and Larry English possibly in the mix at well. The Bucs are also likely to miss defensive end Michael Johnson with an ankle injury on Sunday and will have to turn to another one of their backups to help their pass rush.

It's impossible to say whether the Bucs bring back Clayborn after this season. If they do so, it's likely not as a starting defensive end. Clayborn has struggled to beat offensive tackles over the past two seasons, and the Bucs emphasize pass-rushing ability over everything else at defensive end.