It’s hard enough for Buccaneers coach Dirk Koetter to plan for the season, knowing his starting quarterback won’t play the first three games.
But Koetter admitting his play-calling in the preseason will require some adjustments, between that and the injuries on his offensive line.
The Bucs have been without veteran right tackle Demar Dotson since the start of camp, and they may have a rookie starting at right guard. But other injuries to a number of backups on that side of the line is making Koetter think twice about how to deploy his passers when the exhibition games start this week.
“Some of those guys are going to play with a quarterback they might not have played with,’' Koetter said, via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “We’ll have to adjust accordingly and adjust the play-calling accordingly.”
Ryan Fitzpatrick, who will start the first three games of the regular season, is scheduled to start Thursday night. And while they might like starter Jameis Winston to get some work before his three-game suspension kicks in, they might not want to have him protected by undrafted rookies and other strays.
A year ago, third quarterback Ryan Griffin was injured during a preseason game, sustaining a shoulder sprain that kept him off the field until November.