Buccaneers Pass Rusher Added to Injury Report

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made a surprise amendment to their final injury report Saturday morning. The team announced edge rusher Shaquil Barrett has been downgraded to questionable for the team's Week 6 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

OLB Shaquil Barrett has been added to our injury report and is questionable to play on Sunday. https://t.co/xfgFkKZtFx

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) October 15, 2022

Barrett practiced fully all week but evidently came down with an illness since Friday afternoon. He joins safety Mike Edwards and wide receiver Julio Jones as key Buccaneers whose statuses are up in the air for Sunday.

Barrett has been an important cog in an effective pass rush for the Bucs this season. The team has notched 19 sacks and 54 pressures through five weeks, both top-six marks in the league. Should he be unavailable, the team will lean more heavily on backup outside linebackers Carl Nassib and Anthony Nelson.

Shaquil Barrett flashes with the inside hand. Then as the blocker punches, @shaquilbarrett attacks the elbow joint & knocks the arms down. Barrett throws a short rip & gets to the QB for the sack! #passrush #gobucs pic.twitter.com/4POxfONZh9

— Coach Aaron Day (@dlinevids1) September 21, 2022

Barrett joined the Buccaneers on a one-year deal in 2019 after four years as a rotational pass rusher with the Denver Broncos. He exploded for a career-high 19.5 sacks in his first opportunity as a full-time starter. He's grown into one of the Bucs' most trusted and reliable veterans in the years since, totalling 39.5 sacks in his past 51 starts. Should his illness cost him this week's game, he'll likely be back in time for the team's Week 7 matchup with the Carolina Panthers.
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