TAMPA, Fla. -- The Buccaneers placed running back Charles Sims on injured reserve Thursday.
Sims suffered a knee injury when he got rolled up on in the opening kickoff of the second preseason game against the Tennessee Titans last Saturday.
Sims has been primarily used as the Bucs' third-down back. In the past four seasons, he appeared in 47 games with two starts, catching 129 passes for 1,190 yards and six touchdowns and rushing 245 times for 958 yards and two touchdowns.
A third-round draft pick in 2014, Sims' best season came in 2015, when he recorded 1,090 all-purpose yards. He's regarded as having the best hands on the team, although he was in competition with Jacquizz Rodgers and Shaun Wilson for a roster spot.
In 2017, he finished with 149 yards on 51 carries, along with 190 receiving yards.
Peyton Barber is expected to start and Rodgers is capable of playing all three downs and is the likely fill-in for Sims. Wilson also has drawn praise from the coaching staff for his hands.
The Bucs selected Ronald Jones in the second round of the NFL draft, but Jones has a different skill set than Sims. Jones struggles with his hands whereas that's both Sims' and Wilson's strength. The Bucs coaching staff feels Barber is capable of playing all three downs if need be.
Sims also suffered a knee injury in 2016 and was placed on injured reserve.
This offseason, he signed a one-year contract.
