Report: 3 Bucs Don’t Make Germany Trip

With the Bucs on the way to Munich, Germany for their Week 10 game against the Seahawks, three players did not go on the international flight. According to multiple reports, wide receiver Russell Gage, left guard Luke Goedeke and backup inside linebacker J.J. Russell were not on the trip.

Tampa Bay left for Germany on Thursday afternoon for the overseas trip and will practice at 3:25 PM GMT (9:25 AM ET) on Friday. Head coach Todd Bowles and quarterback Tom Brady will also speak to the media after at 5:00 PM GMT (11:00 AM ET).

Some Bucs Missing Their 3rd Straight Game

Bucs LG Luke Goedeke – Photo by: USA Today

Gage has been battling a hamstring injury and will miss his third game in a row. It’ll be a conglomerate of Julio Jones, Breshad Perriman and Scotty Miller taking up the roles of wide receivers three through five. Who will be the legitimate third option in the passing game is another question, but that could go to running backs Leonard Fournette and Rachaad White or the emerging tight end Cade Otton.

On the offensive line, Goedeke was injured during the Bucs’ Week 7 loss to the Panthers and will also miss his third game in a row. Nick Leverett is going to start at left guard again, but he is dealing with an illness that caused him to miss Thursday’s practice. Leverett has played solid enough to maintain his starting role even when Goedeke is available again.

Russell has played a special teams role over the last two weeks. The Bucs have four inside linebackers on the active roster with Lavonte David, Devin White, Olakunle Fatukasi and Russell, but with Russell out, there’s a strong chance that the Bucs call up Ulysees Gilbert from the practice squad.

Important Bucs Do Make The Trip

Bucs S Antoine Winfield Jr. – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Two players that did make the trip and have a chance at playing is safety Antoine Winfield Jr. and tight end Cam Brate. Winfield has missed the last two weeks with a concussion and Bowles stated on Wednesday that he was still in protocol. However, Winfield practiced every day over the last two weeks, and typically players still dealing with concussion-like symptoms don’t travel on planes for games. It wouldn’t make sense to put Winfield on a flight that’s over five hours and not have him play.

Brate hasn’t played since Week 6 against the Steelers when he suffered a neck injury. Like Winfield, Brate has been practicing in recent weeks. There’s no word yet on whether he’s playing this week but he’d be an extra addition at tight end to go with Otton. If Brate can go, that would likely make Kyle Rudolph a game day inactive as the Bucs would use Otton, Brate and Ko Kieft at the position.

The Bucs play against the Seahawks in Munich at 3:30 GMT, which is an early start of 9:30 ET for those watching locally in Tampa. The game will be on on the NFL Network.