Tampa Bay Bucs lose Mike Williams for the season due to hamstring injury

(UPI) -- Things just keep getting worse for the 0-7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers as they were forced to place wide receiver Mike Williams on injured reserve on Monday because of a a right hamstring injury, ending his season.

"Mike had a hamstring injury that he tried to play through but it just wasn’t effective doing it,'' coach Greg Schiano said. "He’ll get surgery now and be repaired and he’ll be fine. It’s just going to be a little bit of a recovery. So after getting all the information from the doctors, he was allowed to try. He did for two weeks but wasn’t really himself and couldn’t do the things he needs to do to be effective. So it’s time to get surgery.''

Williams signed a six-year, $40.25-million contract before the start of the season. He will finish 2013 with 22 catches for 216 yards and two touchdowns.

The Bucs will now rely on a receiving corps made up of Vincent Jackson, Tiquan Underwood, Chris Owusu, Eric Page and Russell Shepard. Tampa Bay is also currently without the services of top running back Doug Martin because of an injury, although he is expected to return at some point this season.

"Well, Mike has been banged up for the better part of the year, so I don’t think it’s going to be that much of a change,'' Schiano said. "Now relative to what it could’ve been, sure. Mike is a very fine player. But that’s part of life in the NFL. We need the next man to get the opportunity and we’ll go with that.''