TAMPA — The Bucs plugged another couple of holes Wednesday in a secondary that looks very little like what was intended.
With S Jermaine Phillips placed on injured reserve this week and two-year starter Tanard Jackson already serving a four-game league suspension, things have gotten so desperate that veteran CB Torrie Cox has spent time at safety as a possible backup plan.
"We're scrambling a little bit," defensive coordinator Jim Bates conceded.
Veteran Will Allen will start at free safety Sunday against the Giants in Phillips' place, alongside third-year player SS Sabby Piscitelli. With no other safeties on the roster, the Bucs signed Bengals practice squad player Corey Lynch and added CB Marcus Hamilton, a former Buc who also played for the Bears last season. Lynch was a central figure on the HBO reality show Hard Knocks, which chronicled the Bengals' training camp and preseason.
As for Phillips, a broken thumb wouldn't normally be a particularly severe injury. But his damage went beyond just the fractured bone.
"He has a significant fracture that's going to require a complex surgery to his thumb," coach Raheem Morris said. "That's personally, for me, tough. For him, that's tough. He called me (Wednesday) and told me whatever I needed him to do for the team, in whatever fashion, he's more than willing. He'll be missed."
INJURIES MOUNTING: Starting WR Antonio Bryant (knee) practiced on a limited basis, but his status for Sunday remains a question.
"Obviously, you know that (Bryant) wants to play," Morris said. "I've got a great feeling about it. I'm sure he does, as well. I'm going to believe in A.B. and what he can do, and we'll try to get him out there as quickly as we can and as quickly as he can go."
DT Roy Miller (ankle) and WR Maurice Stovall (knee) also missed practice. Both were injured Sunday at Buffalo, but coaches have not indicated how severely.
RB Earnest Graham (hamstring) and RB Clifton Smith (quad) participated on a limited basis, and CB Elbert Mack (shoulder) and TE John Gilmore (ankle) participated fully. Gilmore has not played this season but could make his debut Sunday.
BRACING THEMSELVES: The defense had all sorts of problems tackling Bills RB Fred Jackson (163 yards). Now here comes, perhaps, the most difficult back to tackle: 6-4, 264-pound Brandon Jacobs of the Giants.
"There's no doubt," Bates said. "When you watch highlights of the guy, he's a strong, hard man who runs through tackles. We have to do a great job of swarming him. You tackle him in … his upper body, he's going to run right through you."
ON THE TUBE: Sunday's game will be on television (Ch. 13) in the Tampa Bay area, team officials said. The deadline to avoid a blackout was 1 p.m. today.
Stephen F. Holder can be reached at sholder@sptimes.com.
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