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Just 2 weeks into the regular season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are already staring down a “prove-it” game when they travel to play the Detroit Lions on Sept. 15.
Unfortunately for the Buccaneers, their traveling party could be missing some key components as they head north, with up to 6 starters out against the team that knocked them out of the NFC Playoffs following the 2023 season.
According to ESPN’s Jenna Laine, defensive lineman Calijah Kancey, safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (ankle) and offensive tackle Luke Goedeke (concussion) have all already been ruled out against the Lions. Defensive end Logan Hall (foot), cornerback Zyon McCollum (concussion) and nickelback Tykee Smith (sick) are all still in doubt.
Kancey and Hall both missed the season opener, a 37-20 win over the Washington Commanders on Sept. 8.
The Lions made it to the NFC Championship Game following the 2023 season and are looked at as one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl this season.
Breaking Down Possible New Starters for Bucs
In the place of the 3 starters that have already been ruled out are a handful of players with little experience in big games, including Christian Izien in place of Winfield Jr., Justin Skule in place of Goedeke and Willam Gholston at 1 of the defensive end spots.
Izien played in all 17 games as a rookie in 2023 with 4 starts. He finished the season with 47 tackles, 2 interceptions and 3 tackles for loss. Skule has 12 career starts, but none since 2020 with the San Francisco 49ers.
Gholston is in his 12th NFL season and his spent his entire career with the Buccaneers, who selected him in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft out of Michigan State. He’s made 89 career starts, including the season-opening win over the Commanders.
“Guys make this team for a reason,” Bowles told Laine. “Everybody’s going to go through their lumps at some point. Better now than midseason — give some young guys and give some other guys some experience that could help us later on, so we’re going to go with what we got.”
Rematch of Bucs’ NFC Divisional Playoff Loss
The last time the Buccaneers faced the Lions was in the NFC Divisional Playoffs after last season — a 31-23 win for the Lions.
While the Buccaneers might be down up to 6 starters against the Lions, they also have a player who might have the hottest hand in the NFL with quarterback Baker Mayfield, who went 24-of-30 passing for 289 yards, 4 touchdowns and no interceptions in the season opener.
“Guys, in his last five games Baker Mayfield now has a 119.1 passer rating and 12 touchdown passes to two interceptions after he torched the Commanders to kick off 2024,” wrote Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon on Sept. 13. “I think we’re looking at a legitimate late-blooming star, and I think he and the Bucs are going to make a statement in Detroit on Sunday.”
The Buccaneers also have the added test of facing a team that has one of their starters from last season on the roster and the inside info scouting report he brings with him. The Buccaneers traded starting cornerback Carlton Davis III to the Lions in exchange for a 2024 3rd round pick on March 18.
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