(This story was updated to add new information.)
Buccaneers safety Jordan Whitehead is questionable to return the Bucs’ Thursday night matchup with the Atlanta Falcons with a groin injury. He left the game following a tackle in the red zone and just before the Falcons tying the game 27-27 in the fourth quarter.
With Antoine Winfield Jr. out with an ankle injury, Tampa Bay is already thin at safety. With Whitehead unable to return, second-year S Kaevon Merriweather was pressed into action.
The secondary surrendered 509 passing yards to Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons and gave up the winning touchdown in overtime.
The Bucs cannot afford to have their secondary take many more hits. We stressed how thin they are, but given what they did tonight, they need to either find some consistent pass rush going forward or dig into free agency to find some depth in the secondary.
Jason Licht isn’t likely to sit on the sidelines with these injuries.