Bruce Arians says Alex Cappa is ‘out’ while also announcing replacement for the starting guard

Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians said following the Saturday’s Wild Card game against Washington that offensive guard Alex Cappa suffered a fractured ankle during their 31-23 win in the nation’s capital.

On Monday, Arians confirmed Cappa will miss time while also naming a replacement.

“Alex has a fracture, so he’ll be out,” Arians said. “Aaron Stinnie will start. He’s done a good job for us, so he’s more than ready to play.”

This will be Stinnie’s first career start in the league, and it comes when the Buccaneers are in the playoffs playing an NFC South divisional opponent, a team with an aggressive defensive front, and a team that beat them twice during the regular season.

No pressure.

Fortunately for Stinnie, it’s a team game. Tampa Bay players certainly don’t want to lose to the Saints three times in one season, with the third being a game they can be bounced from the playoffs.

But Arians is confident his players are preparing for the challenge that lies ahead.

“I think they’re really, really looking forward to it. Our guys are ready to play anybody, anywhere [on Sunday] night – that’s for sure,” Arians said on Monday. “We all kind of had a feeling we knew where we were going, so it was just get yourselves rested up. This extra day is going to help, so get rested up because you know it’s going to be a physical, physical battle.”