In  his final press conference of the 2012 season, Buccaneers Head Coach Greg Schiano touched on the players who finished the campaign on injured reserve.  He primarily focused on the four primary starters who were lost along the way: linebacker Quincy Black, defensive end Adrian Clayborn and guards Davin Joseph and Carl Nicks.

Obviously, those four players were at different stages in their respective rehab processes at the time, but Schiano spoke optimistically about most of them, noting that things were still up in the air regarding Black.

“Carl’s mending; he’s on the heal,” said Schiano on December 31.  “Quincy right now, they are still not sure what they are going to do medically. Quincy has been to some different places in the country, finest people there are, so I’m not sure what is going to happen there. Adrian is coming along nicely. Davin has been a while now. I saw him the other day walking in and he feels good and he is excited. The thing that I was really impressed with Davin is, in his absence of playing, just all the community service things he did. I know he has always done that but I think he took it up a notch between his rehab and that. I think he really refocused his energies which is neat to see. He’s a guy that doesn’t wallow in self-pity, he just goes and gets better physically and helps where he can help on the football end of things and really did a great job in the community.”

Obviously, the Bucs are eager to get all of their important contributors back to start the 2013 season.  There were actually 13 players on the team’s injured reserve list at the end of 2012.  In a way, this is the first wave of quality additions to the Buccaneers’ 2013 season, before free agency and the draft.  Here’s a look at the full list, in alphabetical order: Continue reading →

The Falcons had six players on their official injury report this week, and it’s still possible that all six will miss Sunday’s regular-season finale against Tampa Bay.

Two of those six – S William Moore and CB Christopher Owens, both with hamstring issues – have already been ruled out by Atlanta.  The other four, including WR Roddy White (knee) are all considered questionable.  The fact that the Falcons have already locked up the number-one overall seed in the NFC playoffs has obviously led to speculation that the Atlanta coaching staff will take a cautious route with any ailing players.  On the other hand, White did return to practice on a limited basis on Friday after sitting out the first two days completely.

The Buccaneers’ final report of the week is more favorable, though reserve G Roger Allen is considered doubtful to play due to a groin injury.  The other seven players on Tampa Bay’s list are all marked as probable, including starters CB E.J. Biggers (hip), TE Dallas Clark (illness) and G Jeremy Zuttah (ankle).  Starting LT Donald Penn has also been on the injury report all week due to a (happy) family situation, but he returned to practice today and is expected to play Sunday.

Here are the full Friday injury reports for both teams:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Atlanta Falcons

The most significant news regarding the Buccaneers’ injury report on Wednesday was that CB E.J. Biggers and G Jeremy Zuttah, two starters who sustained injuries in the Week 16 game against St. Louis, were not on the practice field.  Similarly, the key development on Thursday was that both Biggers (hip) and Zuttah (ankle) returned to action.

In fact, both players were full participants in the week’s second practice, as were TEs Dallas Clark and Nate Byham, who sat out on Wednesday due to illness.  The only Buccaneers who did not practice on Thursday were G Roger Allen (groin) and T Donald Penn (not injury related).

The Falcons’ injury report did not change at all from Wednesday to Thursday, with starters DE Jonathan Babineaux (ribs), S William Moore (hamstring), and WR Roddy White (knee) all sitting out another day.  Atlanta Head Coach Mike Smith has already said that Moore, who has missed the last three games as well, is unlikely to play on Sunday.

Here are the full Thursday injury reports for both teams:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Atlanta Falcons

Head Coach Greg Schiano said on Monday that he was hopeful that two of his starters, left guard Jeremy Zuttah and left cornerback E.J. Biggers, would be able to return from recent injuries to play in the season finale at Atlanta.  On Wednesday, neither player practiced.

Zuttah (ankle) and Biggers (hip) were among five players held out of the week-opening workout, but they are obviously the top concerns.  Tight ends Dallas Clark and Nate Byham both missed the practice due to illness and left tackle Donald Penn was out for a non-injury related reason, but they are not likely to be serious issues for Sunday.

The Falcons held out four players, as well, and considering the fact that they have already clinched the top seed in the NFC playoffs, one might expect them to play it cautiously with their banged-up starters.  Those who missed practice on Wednesday included starting safety William Moore (hamstring) and starting wide receiver Roddy White (knee).

Here are the full Wednesday injury reports for both teams:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Atlanta Falcons

Neither the Bucs nor the Rams have too many health concerns heading into their Week 16 confrontation on Sunday, though St. Louis does have one key started listed as questionable on its final official injury report.

Starting left cornerback Cortland Finnegan, one of the Rams’ key offseason acquisitions, is apparently a question mark due to a thigh injury.  Finnegan, who is tied for his team’s lead with three interceptions, has not missed a game this season.  The other five players on the Rams list are considered probable to play, although starting RB Steven Jackson didn’t get in much practice time this week due to an illness.

The Buccaneers will likely be without reserve DE Aaron Morgan, who is listed as doubtful due to a shoulder injury first sustained in Carolina in Week 11.  In addition, CB LeQuan Lewis is questionable as he continues to try to return from a knee injury sustained in Denver three weeks ago.

Here are the full Friday injury reports for both teams:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

St. Louis Rams

An extra day off to start the week seems to have done the Buccaneers well.

As practice began on Wednesday, only two of the Bucs’ 53 players were limited in any way by injury or illness, and none were out completely.  That included the return to full participation by CB LeQuan Lewis, who has missed the last two games due to a knee injury suffered in Denver.  Tampa Bay’s two limited players were DE Aaron Morgan (shoulder) and TE Luke Stocker (head/nose)

The Rams may have something going through their locker room, because three players were held out on Wednesday due to “illness:” CB Bradley Fletcher, RB Steven Jackson and DE Robert Quinn.  Fortunately for the Rams, those types of midweek absences are rarely a problem by the time game day rolls around.  Three other Rams missed the week’s first practice due to other ailments, including CB Cortland Finnegan (thigh).

Here are the full Wednesday injury reports for both teams:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

St. Louis Rams

The Saints will be without at least two players who started for them last Sunday, and possibly a third, when the Buccaneers visit the Superdome this Sunday.

On Friday, the Saints’ official injury report ruled out a total of five players who have not practice all week, including starting right tackle Zach Strief (ankle) and starting free safety Malcolm Jenkins (hamstring).  In addition, starting fullback Jed Collins (toe) is listed as questionable for the game, though he did return to practice in a limited fashion on Friday.

Presumably, the job at right tackle on Sunday would go to William Robinson, who would be making his first NFL start.  Experienced veteran tackle Charles Brown is also out for Sunday’s game with a knee injury and T Bryce Harris, who started one game earlier this season, recently went to injured reserve.  Second-year man Rafael Bush is listed behind Jenkins on the Saints’ depth chart and could also make his first NFL start.

The Buccaneers haven’t ruled any players out for Sunday’s game yet but do have two question marks heading into the weekend.  DE Da’Quan Bowers (hamstring) was held out of Friday’s practice after participating fully and is now listed as questionable.  CB LeQuan Lewis (knee) was limited on the field the last two days and is also questionable; he missed last week’s game against Philadelphia after suffering his injury in Denver in Week 13.

Here are the week’s final injury reports for both teams, complete with game-status designations:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

New Orleans Saints

The Buccaneers had all 53 players on the practice field on Thursday, with only CB LeQuan Lewis limited.  Two players who missed the week-opening workout – DE Da’Quan Bowers (hamstring) and G Jamon Meredith (ankle) – returned to full participation.

Bowers was actually excused from Wednesday’s practice for an undisclosed matter, but he is playing through a hamstring strain.  Meredith has been dealing with an ankle injury since Week 11 but hasn’t missed a game.  Lewis returned to practice on Wednesday after missing the Philadelphia game with a knee injury suffered in Denver, but he took a step back on Thursday.

The Saints’ injury report did not change on Thursday, save for the corrected listing of Malcolm Jenkins with a hamstring injury instead of a knee ailment, as originally reported.  All six players who missed Wednesday’s practice – including Jenkins, the team’s starting free safety – were out again on Thursday.

Here are the full Thursday injury reports for both teams:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

New Orleans Saints

In Week 11, Buccaneers starting right guard Jamon Meredith made a surprisingly swift recovery from what appeared to be a serious ankle injury, improving enough to start and finish the team’s 27-21 overtime victory in Carolina.  As is the case with many in-season injuries in the NFL, Meredith hasn’t had time to make a full recovery from that injury, and he popped up on the Bucs’ injury report again to start Week 15.

Meredith did not participate in the Bucs’ opening practice on Wednesday, and Head Coach Greg Schiano indicated that the team would have to wait and see on the lineman’s status as the week progresses.  Only one other Tampa Bay player did not take part in Wednesday’s workout, as DE Da’Quan Bowers is on the report with a dual “not injury-related/hamstring” notation.  That would seem to indicate that Bowers would have been unavailable regardless of whether or not his hamstring allowed him to work.

The Saints started the week with six players on their injury report, and none of them suited up for practice on Wednesday.  That includes starting right tackle Zach Strief (ankle) and starting free safety Malcolm Jenkins (knee).  Here are the full week-opening injury reports for both teams:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

New Orleans Saints

DT Roy Miller is listed as questionable to play in Sunday’s game on the Buccaneers’ final injury report of the week, but he practiced on Friday and that’s obviously a step in the right direction.  He had been held out of the previous two workouts due to a head injury.

“He practiced today so we’ll see; one step at a time,” said Head Coach Greg Schiano. “We’re going to be cautious, we’re going to make sure.”

CB LeQuan Lewis has been ruled out of Sunday’s game due to the knee injury he sustained in Denver last weekend.  Schiano said the coaches were still deciding who would return kickoffs in Lewis’ place.  WR Vincent Jackson (calf) and RB D.J. Ware (illness) both appear to be fine heading into the weekend.

The Eagles have already ruled out five players, including two who were just added to the injury report on Friday: T Nate Menkin (throat) and DT Mike Patterson (illness).  As expected, QB Michael Vick and RB LeSean McCoy are also going to miss the game, as is S Kurt Coleman.

Here are the full Friday injury reports for both teams:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Philadelphia Eagles