Buccaneers cautiously expect every player to be healthy for training camp

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are optimistic that most of their currently injured players will be healthy in six weeks, when training camp starts. They have several players who have missed most or all of the offseason, but none of them are dealing with serious ongoing injuries.

Mostly, that means the Bucs hope everyone will be healthy for training camp. Justin Evans, J.J. Wilcox, Kendell Beckwith, Jacquies Smith and Noah Spence are among those who’ve missed most or all of the offseason so far.

Dirk Koetter wouldn’t quite commit to predicting everyone would be healthy at the start of training camp, but that expectation still came through in what he said yesterday.

"I learned my lesson, because last year I said there was none and I was proven wrong. So I'm going to say I hope everyone will be ready for training camp."

Last year was a bit odd, with J.R. Sweezy missing the entire season with a lingering back injury. That problem’s been cleared up, but they still have several players recovering from injuries. And while those recoveries appear to be going well, recovery isn’t an exact science.

Noah Spence and Jacquies Smith are probably the most significant names to have missed the Bucs’ offseason so far. They’re the team’s top two pass-rush specialists, and if they aren’t ready to start the regular season Mike Smith will have some issues putting together a competent edge rush.

For now, though, things are looking pretty good.