TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got promising news Sunday -- starting right tackle Demar Dotson's groin injury is a mild sprain. He doesn't believe it will keep him out for the start of the regular season.
"Maybe if it was the season, you'd find ways to push through it," said Dotson, who underwent an MRI Saturday which revealed the sprain. "But I think with the preseason, they're taking it precautionary to try and not make it worse."
Dotson suffered the injury during Tuesday's practice against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He went on to play in Thursday's preseason win over the Jaguars but left in the first quarter.
"I was hoping I could go, but on the first play it kind of grabbed on me," Dotson said. "It wasn't worth it to keep going."
The Bucs feel good about their depth along the interior offensive line but are thinner at offensive tackle, especially with Caleb Benenoch and Kevin Pamphile both sitting out the last two practices with unspecified injuries.
With Dotson, Benenoch and Pamphile sidelined, the Bucs had Leonard Wester getting first-team reps at right tackle Sunday and Mike Liedtke on Saturday.
"He plays hard," Koetter said of Liedtke, who's played guard up until this point in camp but has versatility. "He can play every spot except center and he has just been real consistent in his execution."
