Bucs’ Todd Bowles Confirms Two Key Defenders Are Out for Sunday

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were already facing a difficult Week 3 matchup. Now they will have to do it without two important pieces of their defense.

Head coach Todd Bowles confirmed that outside linebacker Rueben Bain Jr. and inside linebacker Josiah Trotter will both miss Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings . The news comes with the Buccaneers still searching for their first win of the season, making the timing especially tough.

Todd Bowles Loses Josiah Trotter And Rueben Bain Jr. For Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Trotter's absence stands out most. The rookie linebacker has quickly become one of the more productive defenders on the Bucs roster, and he has made an impact in both games to open his NFL career.

He came up with 11 tackles, a sack, and an interception return for a touchdown in the season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals . Trotter also played well against the Cleveland Browns in Week 2 before briefly leaving the game with a shoulder issue. He eventually returned; however, the injury remained something to watch during the week.

That concern became real when Bowles ruled him out, and Bain will be unable to play in the Vi kings game due to a groin injury. However, unlike Trotter, the first-round draft choice has not had as much statistical impact over the first two weeks of the season.

The Buccaneers will now turn to their linebacker depth. SirVocea Dennis and Christian Rozeboom are expected to see time at inside linebacker depending on the defensive package, while Alex Anzalone remains part of the group. The Bucs were already having trouble consistently getting off the field and making tackles. Losing Trotter removes a player who had quickly established himself as a reliable presence in the middle of the defense.

That could become particularly important against Minnesota. There are several Vikings players who have t he ability to cause problems on Sunday in open space, including Justin Jefferson , Jordan Addison , T.J. Hockenson , and Aaron Jones . The latter could also be an interesting matchup for a Bucs defense that will play without its most productive young linebacker.

The young man has been the only one in the team having scored an interception within the first two games played, as well as a sack and the highest number of tackles within the team. They also can't afford another slow start. Tampa Bay is 0-2 after losses to Cincinnati and Cleveland, including a disappointing home defeat to the Browns in Week 2.

Bowles said Dennis and Rozeboom will both play at inside linebacker depending on the package. The coaching staff will have to find a way to spread Trotter's workload across the remaining defenders.

For a team still looking for its first win, losing two defensive contributors before a matchup with the Vikings makes an already important game even more difficult.