Buccaneers Update Injuries for Tristan Wirfs, Ryan Jensen
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in wait-and-see mode as it pertains to injuries across their offensive line.
All-Pro right tackle Tristan Wirfs went down on the first drive of the Wild Card round on Sunday with an ankle injury, and center Ryan Jensen suffered a back injury two drives later. Despite visibly being in pain, Jensen returned to the game on the Bucs' next offensive series and didn't miss a snap for the rest of the contest.
Wirfs, however, was deemed questionable to return immediately. Wirfs retook the field late in the second quarter, but he was seen limping in between plays and was ultimately removed from the matchup after three snaps.
Bucs head coach Bruce Arians shared on Monday that Wirfs is currently wearing a boot as he nurses a sprain in his ankle. Neither Wirfs nor Jensen, even though the latter finished the game, will practice until Friday in order to recover before testing their availability at the end of the week.
As a result, Arians wouldn't go as far as ruling either player out of the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
"As tough as he is," Arians commented on Wirfs' status for this week, "I think there's a chance."
In addition, Arians shared, backup tackle Josh Wells is currently dealing with a quadriceps injury that will be monitored throughout the week. Wells stepped in for Wirfs at right tackle on Sunday and was on the field for 65 snaps.
In the event that neither tackle can play next weekend, the team would likely move right guard Alex Cappa to right tackle and insert Aaron Stinnie at guard as they would have done on Sunday had Wells needed to leave the game. In the worst-case scenario where Wirfs, Jensen and Wells are all unavailable, rookie center Robert Hainsey could be forced into the starting five.
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