Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said this week that his team’s starters will be playing against the Falcons, but there will be exceptions made for injured players.
Left tackle Donovan Smith is one of those players. Smith has been out of practice this week with a foot injury and Bowles said he will not be playing on Sunday.
It’s fair to wonder what that will mean for quarterback Tom Brady’s playing time. Bowles didn’t rule out pulling starters at some point and missing a key blocker may lead to a quick hook for Brady since there are bigger fish to fry for Tampa next weekend.
Cornerback Carlton Davis (shoulder), safety Logan Ryan (knee), and linebacker Carl Nassib (pectoral) have also been ruled out. Defensive tackle Vita Vea (calf) has also missed practice this week, but no call has been about his availabilty.
