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Jenna Laine
TAMPA, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Buccaneers expect to be without wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. against the San Francisco 49ers Sunday, a source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Godwin is dealing with a fibula injury and has not practiced all week.
He played the entirety of last Sunday’s 38-35 win over the Seattle Seahawks, but was seen limping on the field late in the game. Coach Todd Bowles said earlier in the week that he was “sore,” because it was just his second game back. Godwin suffered a dislocated left ankle in Week 7 last year, later undergoing two surgeries to remedy the injury.
The team will continue to rely on rookie wideout Emeka Egbuka, who has five touchdowns through his first five NFL games. He had 163 receiving yards, a touchdown and a two-point conversion against the Seahawks. The Bucs will also lean on Sterling Shepard, who had the game-tying touchdown against Seattle late in the fourth quarter and whose 191 receiving yards are second among receivers on the team. Rookie Tez Johnson also saw his role increase at Seattle with 59 receiving yards, and they were able to get tight end Cade Otton involved more in the passing game
The Bucs are also expected to again be without five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Mike Evans, marking his third missed game due to a hamstring injury, and they’re expected to be without lead running back Bucky Irving, who is dealing with both a shoulder subluxation and a foot sprain. In Irving’s absence last week, running back Rachaad White had 41 rushing yards and 30 receiving yards with two touchdowns.
The Bucs have lost to the 49ers in four straight tries going back to 2019. Their last victory came at home in 2018.
