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FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka limped off the field during a joint practice with the New York Jets on Wednesday and didn’t return.
Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles had no immediate information on the nature or severity of the apparent injury.
“I don’t know his status as of right now because I was on the other field,” Bowles said. “But I’ll check on that as soon as I go in.”
Bowles was asked if the injury was to the second-year receiver’s ankle, but the coach said he hadn’t gotten any word. Egbuka, along with several of the starters, was not expected to play in the preseason opener Friday night.
Egbuka, who caught 63 passes for 938 yards and six touchdowns last season, appeared to have been rolled up on after making a catch during practice. He limped off the field under his own power and was examined by trainers on a table for several minutes. Egbuka later returned to the Buccaneers’ sideline with both cleats off but didn’t practice again.
With Mike Evans now in San Francisco, Egbuka is expected to see an increased role in the offense as one of Baker Mayfield’s primary passing targets along with Chris Godwin, fellow second-year receiver Jalen McMillan and rookie third-rounder Ted Hurst.
Egbuka was a first-round draft pick last year, taken 19th overall out of Ohio State.
Browning still set to start for Buccaneers
Backup quarterback Jake Browning didn’t practice Wednesday after injuring his back during the joint session with the Jets on Tuesday.
Bowles said Browning hasn’t been ruled out of the preseason opener and will start if he’s available. Baker Mayfield will sit out, so Bowles said Connor Bazelak would start the game against the Jets if Browning is sidelined. Undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels also would see playing time.
Tua to start Falcons’ preseason opener
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) -- Atlanta Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski on Wednesday said starters, including quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, will play at least the first series in Friday night’s preseason opener against the Denver Broncos.
With Michael Penix Jr. still not cleared for team drills as he continues his recovery from surgery on his left knee, the Falcons’ expected quarterback competition has been put on hold. Tagovailoa, the former Miami Dolphins starter who signed a one-year deal with Atlanta, has a clear path to the starting job as long as Penix is limited to individual work and seven-on-seven drills in practice.
Stefanski said Tagovailoa and other first-team players will play “a series, maybe 10 plays. We’ll see which comes first.” Stefanski said the playing time could vary for some starters.
When asked if Tagovailoa’s start means he has won the starting job for the season, Stefanski said: “As you guys know, I’m not there, we’re not there. … We just will cross that bridge when we get to it. Obviously, I feel very good about where Tua is, where all of our guys are.”
Cooper Rush, who was signed at the start of training camp to give the team another veteran at quarterback, will play behind Tagovailoa. Undrafted rookie Jack Strand will finish the game.
Stefanski said Tagovailoa is “looking forward to getting his first action in a game in the system. There’s a lot of newness for him as well, in terms of that type of thing. It’s his first time in (Mercedes-Benz Stadium) as a Falcon.”
CBS: No timeline on Romo decision
NEW YORK (AP) -- CBS Sports president David Berson said Tuesday he does not have a timeline for a decision about Tony Romo’s future.
Romo, the network’s lead NFL analyst, is on leave following his arrest last month in Wisconsin on suspicion of operating a vehicle while under the influence.
“It’s an evolving situation, and therefore we’re still assessing,” Berson said during a network event.
Berson also told reporters the decision to place Romo on indefinite leave was intended to shift attention toward the games and away from his legal situation.
“We we had to consider the impact on our image and on our brand. That’s very important to us. Whether the games, marketing, PR, social, the focus should and needs to be on our presentation and not on any other factors,” he said.
Analyst JJ Watt will join play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz and sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson on CBS Sports’ lead NFL team during Romo’s absence. Their first game will be on Sept. 13, when the Minnesota Vikings host the Green Bay Packers.
Watt joined CBS in 2023. He was an analyst on “The NFL Today” for two seasons before teaming with Ian Eagle on the network’s No. 2 crew beginning last season. Ross Tucker has been moved up to the No. 2 team. He has previously teamed with Eagle on radio broadcasts for Westwood One.
Romo, 46, has been the lead game analyst for CBS’ NFL coverage since 2017 after making four Pro Bowl appearances during a playing career that ran from 2004-16 and was spent entirely with Dallas.
He was arrested July 23 after he was stopped while driving south on Interstate 43 in Wisconsin. According to the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office, Romo performed poorly on field sobriety tests before getting arrested, booked and released.
He has a court date set for Sept. 21.
Romo went to high school about 35 miles southwest of Milwaukee in Burlington, Wisconsin.