TL;DR
- Bucky Irving practiced but Ronde Barber says he won't play Sunday against Los Angeles Rams.
- Irving has been sidelined since Week 4 with a shoulder injury, missing seven games.
- His return is delayed, possibly extending to Week 13, with Sean Tucker a potential Week 12 starter.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving returned to practice last week after a prolonged absence but was ultimately sidelined for Week 11.
This week, Irving is practicing again brings renewed hope for his return from a shoulder injury that has sidelined him since Week 4.
Buccaneers icon Ronde Barber is here to dampen our spirits. Barber stated on his WFLA-TV program that Irving won't be playing Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams (via JoeBucsFan.com).
“Bucky is not going to be back on Sunday night football,” Barber said.
Todd Bowles, the head coach, stated on Wednesday that Irving was scheduled to increase his activity this week with the expectation of playing, though no guarantees were ever given.
Irving has participated in the last four practices, starting last week, though his involvement was restricted in all of them, and he'll probably need to practice fully before being cleared.
Although this is unpleasant, it's hardly unexpected given the considerable ambiguity surrounding Irving's injury since he was sidelined.
The expectation was that Irving would return after sitting out a maximum of three games, as the Bucs did not place him on injured reserve, a move that would have mandated a minimum four-game absence. Irving is now approaching his seventh consecutive missed game.
It's evident the injury is more severe than first believed, or Irving experienced a complication that has prolonged his absence beyond anticipation.
Either way, Week 12 doesn't look like the one Irving returns in and we'll now have to wait and see how things shake out in Week 13.
Should Irving remain sidelined, the Buccaneers might opt for Sean Tucker as their primary running back for Week 12, given his superior performance compared to Rachaad White in the previous game.
Tucker had more touches, also, garnering 21 to White's 12.
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