The worst part of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ preseason finale against the Indianapolis Colts wasn’t the ugly 27-10 loss.
No, it was suffering two more injuries to key members of their offensive line, center Robert Hainsey and do-it-all swingman Nick Leverett.
Hainsey (ankle) and Leverett (shoulder) both left the game and didn’t return, sending the blood pressure of Bucs fans through the roof. With Hainsey already replacing Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen, and Leverett competing for the left guard spot thinned by the loss of Aaron Stinnie, losing either of them would have been another massive blow for the Bucs up front.
Instead, it looks like both players have dodged major injury, and they’re trending toward being available when the Bucs kick off the regular season against the Dallas Cowboys next week.
“They’re both trending in the right direction,” Bucs head coach Todd Bowles said Wednesday. “If they continue to heal, they’ll be ready to practice next week and should be available for the game.”
Hainsey is expected to start at center, while Leverett will provide valuable depth with his ability to play any of the five positions along the offensive line. Having them both as close to full strength as possible is a huge boost for Tampa Bay’s most banged-up unit.
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