Tampa Bay Buccaneers Safeties Doubtful for Week 14

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers could be without two key players in the secondary when they take the field against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 14. Safeties Antoine Winfield Jr. and Mike Edwards were both listed as doubtful on the team's final injury report, making them unlikely to suit up for Sunday's game.

Three Bucs are listed as doubtful, while three others are questionable for Week 14.
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) December 9, 2022

Winfield and Edwards both missed Week 13, Winfield with an ankle injury and Edwards with a hamstring injury. They rank third and fifth on the team in tackles, respectively.

Winfield and Edwards are both effective safeties in a sometimes dominant Bucs secondary that has found itself in a lot of tight, low-scoring games this season. Their absence could loom large against a 49ers offense that has averaged the sixth-best net yards per passing attempt this season. Luckily for the Bucs, the 49ers will be without starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo following his Week 13 foot injury.

Winfield joined the Buccaneers as their 45th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft and immediately slotted into a key role. He started 19 total games in the regular season and postseason for the 2020 Super Bowl champions and earned a Pro Bowl in 2021. Edwards joined the Bucs as their 99th overall pick in 2019 and served as a play-making rotational defensive back for three seasons before earning a starting role this season.