TAMPA - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be without their top two draft picks Sunday when they host the Minnesota Vikings, as rookie outside linebacker Rueben Bain Jr. and linebacker Josiah Trotter have both been ruled out with injuries sustained in last week’s game against the Cleveland Browns.
Head Coach Todd Bowles confirmed the absences after Friday’s practice. Bain, a Miami product, is dealing with a groin injury and did not participate in any team practices this week. He has also been managing a separate shoulder issue. Trotter, out of Missouri, is nursing a shoulder ailment and, while he took part in some individual-position drills Friday, did not receive medical clearance to play.
“It’s a low-grade sprain,” Bowles said of Trotter’s injury. “It’s probably a toleration thing. We’ll see how he feels.”
The absences are a significant blow to Tampa Bay’s linebacker corps. Trotter leads the Buccaneers with 21 tackles through two games and has added two tackles for loss, 1.0 sack and one interception he returned 38 yards for a touchdown against the Bengals in Week One. Bain has recorded just a single tackle across the first two games.
Bowles said SirVocea Dennis and Christian Rozeboom will see action at linebacker alongside Alex Anzalone in Trotter’s place. Dennis logged nine snaps after Trotter went down against Cleveland. Rozeboom, who signed with the Buccaneers as a free agent this offseason, has not yet taken any defensive snaps this season.
At edge rusher, the Buccaneers will have four options available in Bain’s absence: Anthony Nelson, Al-Quadin Muhammad, David Walker and Yaya Diaby. Walker recorded his first career sack against the Browns while playing nine defensive snaps and is among those expected to see an increased role Sunday.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield, who dealt with an illness earlier in the week that pushed his Wednesday media session to Thursday, was a full participant in practice and is not on the injury report. Since taking over as the Bucs’ starter at the beginning of the 2023 season, Mayfield has started 56 consecutive games, playoffs included, ranking second among all NFL passers with 96 touchdown passes and third with 12,635 passing yards in that span.
Kickoff against the Vikings is set for Sunday.