Injuries pile up as Buccaneers wrap up preseason

INDIANAPOLIS — The injuries to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ offensive line keep coming. With quarterback Tom Brady seeing his only action of the preseason this week following an 11-day absence, two more players vying for starting roles protecting the 45-year-old signal-caller went down with injury.

Already without Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen and left guard Aaron Stinnie because of knee injuries, Jensen’s replacement, Robert Hainsey, left Saturday’s preseason finale against the Indianapolis Colts in the second quarter with a left ankle injury and did not return. He was able to walk off the field under his own power, although he initially required assistance.

Then Nick Leverett, who was challenging for the starting left guard position and stepped in for Hainsey at center, went down with a shoulder injury in the third quarter, forcing the Bucs to rely on a fourth center in John Molchon.

Bucs coach Todd Bowles said he did not have specifics on injuries to Robert Hainsey and Nick Leverett.

“Not yet. We’ll get some X-rays taken I’m sure in the next two days and we’ll find out, “Bowles said.

When asked if either player could have returned if this was a regular season game, Bowles said, “It’s too early to tell right now.”

In addition to those injuries, Pro Bowl left tackle Tristan Wirfs was held out of Saturday’s preseason game — a 27-10 Colts victory — because of an oblique injury, although he did take the field during pregame warm-ups and has been considered day-to-day.

Bowles was not overly concerned about the offensive line when asked, saying the he was not going to jump to conclusions about the injuries.

“I know they got nicked up,” he said. “There’s no other way around playing offensive line. You can play your whole career and not get hit in the back of the leg, or you can get hit in the back of the leg every week. So we’ll see what the X-rays say and go from there.”

Brady played only a series and enjoyed a relatively clean pocket, showing little rust despite extended time away. He completed 6 of 8 passes for 44 yards, setting up a 30-yard field goal by kicker Ryan Succop.