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Another week of good news, bad new for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After missing practice on Friday with foot injuries, both Leonard Fournette and Akiem Hicks will play for the Bucs as they take on the San Francisco 49ers. Since Hicks returned to the lineup, the Bucs have been far more stout in run defense.
However, the Bucs will once again be without Antoine Winfield Jr. and Mike Edwards - which can prove problematic against weapons like Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, and Deebo Samuel. On top of that, even though he missed practice all week with a hamstring injury, Nick Bosa will suit up and play against the Bucs - giving him a chance to take on a struggling offensive line and get after Tom Brady.
In addition to Winfield and Edwards, cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting will be out once again, leaving Dee Delaney and Zyon McCollum to fill in and take over the slot corner role. Neither player looked all that impressive Monday, so this could be another problem for the Bucs’ defense.
Cam Brate will be back on the field for the Bucs after missing last week with an illness, so you wonder how much he’ll be involved with the offense. The Buccaneers have been more successful with Cade Otton getting the bulk of the targets, but Brate has been a player Brady has gone to plenty this season.
Of course, Brock Purdy will get his first career start due to the injury to Jimmy Garoppolo. Purdy was “Mr. Irrelevant” in the 2022 draft, taken with pick number 256.
Here are the inactive players for the Bucs and Niners ahead of their matchup;
Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
QB - Kyle Trask
TE - Kyle Rudolph
S - Antoine Winfield Jr
S - Mike Edwards
WR - Breshad Perriman
CB - Sean Murphy-Bunting
T - Tristan Wirfs
San Ferancisco 49ers
DL - Hassan Ridgeway
DB - Tarvarius Moore
QB - Jimmy Garappolo
OL - Jaylon Moore
TE - Ross Dwelley
LB - Curtis Robinson
OL - Nick Zakeli
RB - Tyrion Davis-Price
The Bucs and 49ers kickoff in Levi’s Stadium at 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX. Kevin Burkhardt, Gerg Olsen, Erin Andrews, and Tom Rinaldi will be on the call for FOX’s America’s Game of the Week.
For more on this and all things Tampa Bay Buccaneers check out James Yarcho and David Harrison on the Locked On Bucs Podcast!
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