Sportsnaut
It’s hard to argue against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ success this season. They enter NFL Week 11 with a 6-3 record, which is good enough for first place in the NFC South. While they’re coming off a tough 28-23 loss to the New England Patriots last week, now they have another concern.
According to NFL Network’s insider Tom Pelissero, Buccaneers running back Josh Williams has been suspended for six games after violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substance policy. This means, barring an appeal, Williams will not be paid for the next six games of the Buccaneers’ season. He will first be eligible to return on Dec. 22, just after the Bucs’ Week 16 matchup against the Carolina Panthers.
Williams is a 24-year-old undrafted rookie out of LSU. He’s been providing depth at a key position for the Bucs since signing with the team on May 9. Amazingly, Williams was able to scratch and claw his way to a roster spot, earning the team’s fourth-string running back position at the start of the season.
Though, Williams didn’t get his first real taste of NFL action until Week 8 when he made his regular season debut. Williams has made three appearances this season, where he’s carried the ball four times for 11 yards. With eight snaps played on offense and another ten on special teams, Williams’ loss won’t be too impactful for the Bucs on gameday, but they may want to get some more depth at the position until he returns from suspension.
Tampa Bay still has Bucky Irving, Rachaad White, and Sean Tucker on the active roster. They also have Michael Wiley and Owen Wright on the practice squad. We’ll see if anyone else joins them in the next few days.
Related: NFL Report Card: Grading All Teams Before NFL Week 11
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