Bucs Give Significant Injury Updates on 3 Defensive Starters

No matter how bad and terrible and lost the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have seemed on defense in 3 consecutive losses to open the regular season, none of us can argue things will get any better until everyone is healthy, if that's even possible.

To that end, the Buccaneers got significant injury updates on a trio of defensive starters ahead of Week 4 against the Green Bay Packers — a game in which Tampa Bay will have undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels making his 1st start.

So, if possible, the defense needs to be as complete as possible.

"HC Todd Bowles says LB Josiah Trotter (shoulder) 'did everything today' in practice but tomorrow's practice will be more telling because the players will be in shoulder pads," Buccaneers.com's Scott Smith wrote on his official X account on Wednesday.

"Bowles says Yaya Diaby has a calf injury but could go this week," Fox Sports NFL reporter Greg Auman wrote on his official X account on Wednesday. "Not sure on Rueben Bain . Josiah Trotter has made progress but won't know until they see him in pads later in the week."

Multiple Rookie Starters Usually Not Great Sign

The fact that the Buccaneers are starting 2 rookies on defense at such critical positions was probably never a great sign — and neither is the fact that both Bain and Trotter have already missed time with injuries less than 1 month into their NFL careers.

Trotter, at least, can point to some type of production to this point. Through the 1st 2 games — he sat out Week 3 — he had 25 tackles, 1 sack, 1 pass deflection, and 1 interception returned for a touchdown.

Bain, the Buccaneers' 1st-round pick (No. 15 overall), has been completely MIA.

In 2 games, Bain has 1 tackle. That's it. No sacks, no QB hurries or hits, no TFL … nothing.