With game-changing defensive Adrian Clayborn lost for the season to a knee injury, Tampa Bay's attention could shift towards the return of another injured DE - Da'Quan Bowers. The Buccaneers' defensive end ruptured his Achille's tendon in the offseason, but was placed on the PUP - physically unable to perform - list instead of injured reserve with a hope that he could be back at some point in the 2012 season.
Bowers talked to the Tampa Bay Times Monday about a potential return:
"It's been a long process, since May, it gets overwhelming at times," Bowers said. "You've got to take it day by day. I know what my purpose is, I've got to work hard to get back where I was last year. It's a tough injury to come back from. The staff here has been doing everything in their power to make sure I have a healthy comeback.
If Bowers returns, it wouldn't be until Week 6 at the earliest, as stipulated by the league for any player on the PUP list. Bowers said that a decision to return is entirely up to head coach Greg Schiano, and that he still has four weeks of rehab ahead of him.
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