The three-game suspension of Jameis Winston was bound to have some immediate ripple effects, but now the Bucs have to hope it doesn't become a tsunami in the preseason.
Because Ryan Fitzpatrick is preparing to start the season opener at New Orleans Sept. 9, coupled with the considerable investment in Winston, the Bucs don't want to expose either to possible injury by playing them behind a suspect offensive line in the preseason.
But a rash of injuries that has targeted the right side of the offensive line is suddenly a bigger concern for Thursday's preseason opener at Miami.
Starting right tackle Demar Dotson still is making a deliberately slow recovery from two knee surgeries and hasn't really been involved in 11-on-11 periods in practice. Caleb Benenoch, who was expected to start at right guard but also has played tackle, has been out since suffering an undisclosed injury late in Friday's practice.
Backup right tackle Leonard Wester has missed the past week with an injury. On Monday, his backup, Cole Gardner, missed practice with an injury.
That left Brad Seaton and Cole Boozer, an undrafted rookie from Temple, to take reps at right tackle with the starting offense.
"Some of those guys are going to play with a quarterback they might not have played with," Koetter said. "We'll have to adjust accordingly and adjust the playcalling accordingly."
In other words, the Bucs would like for both Fitzpatrick and Winston to get some work Thursday, but they also can't put them in harm's way by calling too many pass plays with suspect protection.
Fitzpatrick will start, and Koetter said it's possible he could play as much as a quarter.
The Bucs already could have rookie Alex Cappa starting at right guard. So playing an inexperienced right tackle may only compound the problem.
The Bucs expect Dotson to recover in time for the regular season, but they're not going to push him to play in August.
"He's barely working back into 11-on-11, and he's improving daily," Koetter said of Dotson. "He looks better and better. But anybody that we think is not 100 percent long-term, they won't be out there. We're not going to take a risk with anybody. We've got plenty of guys."
That may be true, but will they hold up against the Dolphins starting defense and pass rushers like Cameron Wake and Robert Quinn?
