The Bucks players who were ruled out of Week 15’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers aren’t all that surprising. After Friday’s practice, head coach Todd Bowles spoke to the media and said safeties Antwon Winfield Jr. and Mike Edwards and inside linebacker KJ Britt will all be absent Sunday. Fellow safety Christian Isien and fan favorite Bucky Irving are listed as questionable, although they will test before the game to see if they are available.
#backs Head coach Todd Bowles said Bucky Irving and Christian Isien are questionable for Sunday’s game, but Antwon Winfield Jr., Mike Edwards and KJ Britt are all out. pic.twitter.com/yAsS2twP88
— Pewter Report 🏴☠️ (@PewterReport) December 13, 2024
It was known that Winfield would be out for several weeks, so the team had already mentally adjusted to playing without him. Bowles also said earlier in the week that Britt was “not ready” to play. Edwards was the only player that really mattered, but he wasn’t seen in practice every day either. This will be the second consecutive game that Britt and Edwards, who missed Tampa Bay’s Week 14 win, will be absent.
Bucks are very skinny at safety
Bucs DB Tykee Smith – Photo courtesy of USA Today
The Bucks don’t have many answers at safety, with Winfield and Edwards out, Jordan Whitehead still on injured reserve and Isien’s whereabouts questionable. Fortunately, Tykie Smith is available and is coming off a game in which he recorded an interception. Without a doubt, Smith is the team’s best safety this year, and you could also make an argument that he’s the best defensive back.
Although Smith is a rookie, Bowles has praised him multiple times for having the football IQ of a veteran. He’s been playing the nickel corner spot all season and for a long time, and that doesn’t seem to change even with the lack of personnel.
“He’s probably too loaded right now,” Bowles said of whether Smith could play dual roles as nickel and regular safety. “We’re going to try to give him the ability to cope. He’s a good football player.”
Bucks S Christian Isien, CB Zion McCollum – Photo courtesy of USA Today
If it’s Ijien Available. This will solve many problems With him and Kayvon Meriwether free to play strong safety, the Bucs will have it. They also have Tavierre Thomas, who can play a little bit everywhere on defense. This likely means the Bucks could promote safeties Marcus Banks, Rashad Wisdom or Ryan Neal, potentially acquiring two of them.
Banks and Wisdom are rookies, but Neal, who recently signed to Tampa Bay’s practice squad, was with the Bucks last season and struggled mightily, much to the chagrin of Bucks fans.
The silver lining for the Bucs is that the Chargers’ opponent is a physical ground-and-pound team that prefers to run the ball rather than drive it. They may not be able to exploit this weakness of the Bucks like other teams. Either way, it will be a big test for Tampa Bay, which aims to make the playoffs with four games remaining.
