Buccaneers' Bucky Irving, Chris Godwin absent at practice Wednesday

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are looking to make a big splash right after the bye week when they play the New England Patriots on Sunday, and fans have been hoping that some of their injured players can be back in time to make an impact — at the moment, though, it looks like that may not be the case.

The Bucs got very good injury news when Luke Goedeke came off his 21-day IR window to make it back to the active roster, and he was indeed practicing on Wednesday, opening a window for his possible return. Unfortunately, two other star players did not practice, as wideout Chris Godwin and running back Bucky Irving were once again absent.

Bucky Irving and Chris Godwin still absent at practice

Seattle Seahawks safety Ty Okada (39) breaks up a pass to Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. (14) | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Irving and Godwin's absences are stretching out longer, and they were both still out of practice once the Buccaneers returned from the bye week.

Irving has been out since playing the entirety of Tampa Bay's Week 3 game against the Philadelphia Eagles, injuring both his shoulder and his foot. Godwin has been out since playing the entirety of Tampa Bay's Week 4 game against the Seattle Seahawks, injuring the fibula on his previously injured leg from the awful ankle dislocation he suffered last year.

The Buccaneers, and head coach Todd Bowles, have been very, very tight-lipped on both players' absence. Bowles has only given minimal updates on the condition both players are in, and he gave a similarly curt update when asked about them the Monday of Tampa Bay's bye week.

"I think those guys will start doing some things this week depending on the progress they make," Bowles said. "We will see how practice goes next week if they can get some things done this week. I do not have a timeline on it either, [we] just have to see how they are progressing."

There is a possibility that Godwin and Irving could return to practice later in the week with hopes of playing Sunday, but it would be very slim, especially since they could not practice after the long bye week break leading up to Wednesday. If that's the case, running back Rachaad White will once again be the lead back and wide receivers Tez Johnson and Kameron Johnson will have to step up in Godwin's absence.

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