TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 24 (UPI) -- The morning after their decisive win over the defending NFC champion St. Louis Rams, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tuesday found out that it was a costly victory as they learned that two members of their restructured offensive line will be sidelined for some time.
Head coach Jon Gruden said Tuesday at his weekly news conference that starting offensive linemen Kerry Jenkins and Kenyatta Walker will be lost at least for the next month, a serious jolt at a time that the front line was just starting to gel.
Both Jenkins, the starting left guard, and Walker, the starting right tackle, were hurt in the third quarter of Monday night's game against the Rams.
"Kerry Jenkins has a small crack in his left fibula and it looks like he'll be out 2-4 weeks," Gruden said. "Kenyatta Walker has a high ankle sprain. It's fairly serious and he could be out a month. We'll see how that goes, but obviously that's a big loss to our football team."
Gruden also revealed that cornerback Brian Kelly and linebacker Derrick Brooks, the two players who made key fourth-quarter interceptions Monday night, may be unable to play in Cincinnati next Sunday.
Kelly has a right shoulder sprain and Brooks is dealing with a left hamstring strain. Both players are likely to start the week as questionable on the injury report.
The injuries to Jenkins and Walker likely will force the Bucs' personnel department to be very active. The Bucs are down to just six healthy offensive linemen.
If Cornell Green steps back into his right tackle spot, and the versatile Todd Washington takes over at left guard, the team's only reserve will be 39-year-old tackle Lomas Brown.
"Obviously, we'll look for ways to maybe add a player to help us out in those two guys' absence," said Gruden, though he did not address any specific possibilities.
Walker's injury, the type of high ankle sprain that is often difficult to overcome quickly, adds more to his frustration.
The second-year pro was asked to switch from left tackle to right tackle at the beginning of training camp, then he lost his job at the onset of the regular season to Green because of mental errors. Walker regained his starting spot with a sharp week of practice prior to the Ravens game in Week Two, and reportedly was showing consistent improvement.
"Kenyatta came on, like we expected him to do," Gruden said. "Now, he's injured and Cornell Green, though inexperienced, will get a lot more experience here in the next week."
The Bucs allowed just one sack of quarterback Brad Johnson on Monday and didn't have to rein in the offense to keep the pocket intact.
The injury to Brooks could lead to some movement among the team's other four linebackers. Before he was hurt, the team had just two linebacker reserves -- Nate Webster, who is in his third year, and rookie Ryan Nece.
