Bruce Arians Rules Two Buccaneers Out vs. Falcons

The Buccaneers will be down two safeties against the Falcons in Week 13.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach ruled safety Jordan Whitehead and wide receiver/returner Jaelon Darden out of this Sunday's Week 13 matchup with the Atlanta Falcons on Friday.

Darden, the Buccaneers' fourth-round pick in the most recent NFL Draft, has spent the week in the NFL concussion protocol after suffering his injury against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 13. Whitehead, meanwhile, was added to the Bucs' injury report on Thursday with a calf ailment.

In addition, the Buccaneers will be without wide receiver Antonio Brown and Mike Edwards, as the two were suspended for three games without pay by the NFL and NFLPA on Friday for misrepresenting their COVID-19 vaccination status.

The Buccaneers will reportedly sign wide receiver Breshad Perriman to their active roster on Friday following Brown's suspension and before Darden was ruled out. Running back Giovani Bernard and receiver Scotty Miller are expected to fill in for Darden on returns, Arians said earlier in the week.

Tampa Bay will lack its typical safety depth on Sunday as a result of Whitehead's absence and Edwards' suspension, just when the team was on the brink of starting an entirely healthy secondary for the first time this season, with the odds in favor of cornerback Carlton Davis III being activated from the injured reserve before Sunday's game.

According to Greg Auman of The Athletic, Arians shared that Whitehead's calf injury could be "very" significant and that he will undergo an MRI on Saturday.

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