Buccaneers Declare 3 Players Out for Week 5

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will face the Atlanta Falcons in Week 5 without a trio of key players. According to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, the team declared tight end Cameron Brate, defensive tackle Akiem Hicks, and defensive back Logan Ryan out on Friday afternoon. Ryan exited early in the Bucs' Week 4 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs due to a foot injury. Brate went down later in the half with a concussion. Hicks has missed the previous two games with a foot injury sustained in a Week 2 win over the New Orleans Saints.

Of the three, Brate has played the most prominent role this season, logging 160 snaps and 19 targets as the team's top tight end, but Ryan has likely been the most effective, nabbing a meaningful interception in Week 3 against the Green Bay Packers and earning a 75.2 overall grade from Pro Football Focus so far this year. He and Hicks were both free-agent veteran additions this offseason.
The 2-2 Bucs are looking to get right this week after an up-and-down first four weeks, and the Atlanta Falcons provide a quality opportunity to do it. Quarterback Tom Brady is a perfect 9-0 against the team in regular season play with a 117.4 passer rating and 319.4 passing yards per game. 

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