Da'Quan Bowers injury: Could Buccaneers DE play vs. Saints?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been without defensive end Da'Quan Bowers this season due to an Achilles injury, but it's possible that Bowers could make his return Sunday against the New Orleans Saints.

Head coach Greg Schiano hasn't indicated whether or not Bowers will see playing time this week, but as Sander Philipse of Bucs Nation points out, a recent Tampa Bay roster move could indicate that Schiano is ready to bring Bowers back into the fold:

If the Bucs want to play Da'Quan Bowers on Sunday, they will have to add him to the active roster. This is why I think the defensive end will play on Sunday: the Bucs have already made room on the roster by waiving defensive end Markus White, which went through the league office on Thursday. On Friday's list of transactions, no new additions for the Bucs appeared - which means they haven't signed anyone. This also means that if they do sign someone on Saturday, that player will not have practiced with the team once this week. The only player who is not on the active roster but has practiced with the team this week and could play on Sunday, is Da'Quan Bowers himself.

Bowers is a talented second-year player out of Clemson. The Buccaneers took him in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft, and Tampa Bay is anxious to see Bowers back in action. In his rookie campaign last season, he compiled 24 tackles, 1.5 sacks and four pass breakups in 16 games. In his junior year at Clemson in 2010, Bowers posted incredible numbers, racking up 67 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, 16 sacks, a forced fumble and an interception.

Kickoff between the Bucs and Saints is set for 1 p.m. ET Sunday at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. The game will be televised by FOX.