Bucs Get Concerning Update on Scotty Miller

Scotty Miller

Getty Scotty Miller injured his toe at Los Angeles on Sunday.

Tampa Bay will miss one of its fastest wide receivers in Scotty Miller for a while due to a turf toe injury in Sunday’s loss at Los Angeles.

Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians called Miller’s turf toe injury “pretty severe” during Monday’s press conference. ESPN”s Adam Schefter later reported that Miller “will miss ‘a significant amount of time’, per source.” Schefter added that Miller “still is awaiting more test results to see how long he will be out, but he will likely go on IR.”

Miller made two catches on three targets for 11 yards against the Rams. He didn’t make any receptions the first two games of the season though he made numerous long catches from quarterback Tom Brady last season, including the playoffs.

Tampa needed Miller and wide receivers Tyler Johnson and Jaelon Darden to step up in Antonio Brown’s place on Sunday since the star receiver was on the reserve/COVID-19 list. As The Athletic’s Greg Auman noted, the Bucs didn’t find an A-game for any of those three individually. They combined for six catches and 73 yards. Johnson had the strongest showing with three catches for 63 yards.

 

“We move on ASAP. We come back into work tomorrow. We grade the tape. See what we did well (and) see what we did wrong,” Johnson said on Sunday about the loss. “You just move on from it.


Brown Still Not Back from Reserve/COVID-19 List

Arians didn’t have a clear timeframe for when Brown will return as of Monday.

The coach said Brown’s return isn’t set on according to ESPN’s Jenna Laine. Brown on the reserve/COVID-19 list the middle of last week.

Brown tested positive for COVID-19 according ESPN reporter Adam Schefter’s sources via Laine. For a player such as Brown to return, he needs “two negative COVID-19 tests at least 24 hours apart to be cleared” according to Pro Football Talk. Brown didn’t meet the negative test quota, and he didn’t go to Los Angeles with the team per Schefter.

The Bucs got a strong showing from Brown in the season opener when he made five receptions for 121 yards and a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys. He played the following week against Atlanta but caught one pass for 17 yards.

Besides Brown and Miller, Arians gave updates on numerous injuries from cornerback Jamel Dean‘s knee to running back Giovani Bernard. Arians also said he expects linebacker Kevin Minter back from the reserve/COVID-19 list.

“So we’ll wait and see on a bunch of guys,” Arians said in Monday’s press conference. “We’ll know a heck of a lot more by Wednesday.”


J.P.P.’s Outlook Remains Cloudy

Linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul missed Sunday’s game as he was medically recommended to rest his shoulder and hand injuries. Arians didn’t have an answer on when Pierre-Paul will return to practice this week.

“We’ll wait and see,” Arians said on Sunday. “I don’t foresee it, but knowing J.P.P., anything is possible.”

Pierre-Paul obtained a second opinion from a doctor in Denver last week and was advised to rest according to Joey Knight of the Tampa Bay Times.


Bernard’s Status Still Unknown

Bernard hurt his knee upon scoring a touchdown on Sunday but walked away with swelling being the main concern according to Arians.

The coach couldn’t confirm how Bernard’s progress was going as of Monday.

“He’s still being evaluated,” Arians told the media. “We probably won’t know until Wednesday.”N