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Bucs to be healthier for Vikings

 
The Bucs’ Johnthan Banks, left, celebrates an interception with Alterraun Verner during the second quarter of a game against the New Orleans Saints at the Superdome on October 5, 2014 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The Bucs’ Johnthan Banks, left, celebrates an interception with Alterraun Verner during the second quarter of a game against the New Orleans Saints at the Superdome on October 5, 2014 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Published Oct. 25, 2014

TAMPA — As much as at any time this season, the Bucs look to be healthy when the Vikings come to town Sunday, with the extra rest of a bye week allowing several key players to recover from lingering injuries.

"We realize only 46 guys can (play out of 53), but it's good to have everybody in front of us, to be able to choose," coach Lovie Smith said Friday, naming only backup LB Brandon Magee (knee) as being out for Sunday. "The week has gone the way we wanted it to in all phases."

As many as five players who missed the Oct. 12 loss to the Ravens with injuries could be active, including starting defensive backs CB Johnthan Banks (neck) and S Dashon Goldson (ankle).

DT Gerald McCoy (hand) and DE Michael Johnson (ankle) have had two weeks to get healthier after playing through injuries for much of the first six games, and the defensive depth should be improved with LB Jonathan Casillas (hamstring) and DE Larry English (hamstring) available after missing the last game.

"Our players that we need to get in a little better shape are there. We should be good," Smith said.

QB Josh McCown, who has missed the past 31/2 games with a torn ligament in the thumb of his throwing hand, returned to practice this week. Second-year QB Mike Glennon is expected to start. McCown and Smith declined to say whether the QB's progress has been promising enough that McCown could be active as the No. 2. Mike Kafka has been in that role the past three games.

The Bucs will be without FB Jorvorskie Lane and DL Da'Quan Bowers, who begin serving two-game suspensions for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances.

If the Bucs want to use a fullback, they'll need to promote Lonnie Pryor from the practice squad and drop a player from the 53-man roster. If they needed a fourth defensive tackle, they could promote Matt Masifilo from the practice squad, but they could try to get by with some combination of the eight defensive linemen available.

QUICK STUDY: Smith joked that it was "finals week" in cramming to get LB Orie Lemon, signed Thursday off the Chiefs' practice squad, fluent in the Bucs' terminology in time to step in Sunday for Magee.

"It's coming along real well. This is what I love to do," said Lemon, who worked with special teams coordinator Kevin O'Dea with the Chiefs last year and played in a similar defense with the Cowboys.

"I've got an opportunity, and I'm going to make sure I take full advantage of it. (O'Dea) is going to put me in the right situation to be my best come Sunday."

THIS AND THAT: Vikings coach Mike Zimmer is a familiar face to at least one Tampa Bay area fan. When Zimmer was a high school quarterback in Lockport, Ill., more than 40 years ago, the offensive assistant was Jim Mewha, who moved to Florida and became the coach at St. Petersburg High in 1974. "Small world, and real proud of the things Mike has accomplished," Mewha wrote in an email Friday.