With their season on the line in Week 7, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are experiencing an active week on the injury front. 

Tampa has a road showdown with the division-leading Carolina Panthers this week. If the Bucs can pull out a win, there will be at least a bit of hope that the season can be salvaged. If Tampa loses, it will be time to start looking toward the future. 

Franchise quarterback Baker Mayfield looks set to return from the dislocated thumb he suffered in Week 3. 

Star safety Antoine Winfield Jr. has returned to practice after missing the last two games with a rib injury. It is still unclear whether Winfield will be able to play against the Panthers. 

However, it looks like Emeka Egbuka, the Bucs’ leading receiver, and starting right tackle Luke Goedeke are trending towards not playing. 

Egbuka is dealing with a concussion, likely suffered late in Week 6 from a hit by Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen. He also has a foot injury. Goedeke is trying to recover from a calf injury. 

Neither has been able to practice this week, making their chances of suiting up on Sunday slim. 

What is already known is that WR David Sills V will be making his debut for Tampa, and LB Christian Rozebloom will miss at least the next four games after being placed on injured reserve. 

Sills has been on IR since the beginning of the season with a hamstring injury. He had his 21-day evaluation window opened at the beginning of last week. Despite getting in a full week of practice, the Bucs opted not to activate Sills before their Week 6 battle against the Steelers. 

With Egbuka likely not playing Sunday, the activation of Sills comes at a perfect time. 

Sills will be taking the roster spot opened up by Rozebloom being placed on IR on Thursday. 

Rozebloom has a finger injury that will keep him on the shelf for at least the next four games.

After a successful 2025 season with the Panthers, Rozebloom was signed by the Bucs in free agency. He hasn't earned a huge role on defense, but he is coming off one of his better games, with four tackles against Pittsburgh.

Last season, Rozebloom started 15 games for Carolina and had 122 total tackles, two sacks, and an interception. In Tampa, he finds himself somewhat buried on the depth chart in a loaded defensive front seven.