TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers might be without tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins for the seventh consecutive game.
Seferian-Jenkins, who’s healing from a shoulder injury, is questionable for the Bucs’ matchup against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium. He was a limited participant in practices Wednesday through Friday.
Bucs coach Lovie Smith said the last step for Seferian-Jenkins is to be cleared for full contact.
“We just don’t know,” Smith said Friday. “He has done more this week than he has done any previous week, so we’ll see how it goes.”
Seferian-Jenkins hasn’t played since catching two passes for 29 yards in a win over the New Orleans Saints in Week 2. He has seven catches for 139 yards and two touchdowns this season.
“You have to make sure you are healthy and you can, first of all, protect yourself and then protect your teammates,” Seferian-Jenkins said Thursday. “I’m not going to go out there if I can’t protect myself and can’t protect my teammates.”
In other injury news, wide receiver Vincent Jackson (knee), defensive end Jacquies Smith (ankle) and right guard Ali Marpet (ankle) are out. With Marpet gone, Evan Smith likely will start at the position.
“He went in last week and played well,” Lovie Smith said of Evan Smith, a former starter at center. “[We] have confidence in him to get the job done. … I like the seven guys that we’re going to dress. We have depth. And everybody that’s suiting up has played good football for us. Dallas has a good front. They have first-rounders. They have high-money guys, and they play hard. For us, we have to neutralize that front.”
Safety D.J. Swearinger (toe) is doubtful. Safeties Bradley McDougald (concussion) and Major Wright (hamstring) are questionable. Cornerback Alterraun Verner (foot) and defensive tackles Gerald McCoy (shoulder) and Tony McDaniel (not injury related) are probable.
