Tampa Bay Buccaneers News & Rumors

The car accident in which Jason Pierre-Paul was involved may keep him out of football in 2019. But JPP and the Buccaneers are not conceding that yet.

Pierre-Paul requiring surgery for the neck injury he sustained would keep him out up to six months, putting his 2019 availability in question. Upon looking at JPP’s scans, the Buccaneers grew concerned the edge rusher suffered a fractured vertebrae in his neck, James Palmer of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). But JPP is seeking out several other medical opinions.

JPP plans to send the results of those tests to “several” other doctors this week, per Palmer, who adds hope remains that surgery will not be necessary and that the ninth-year player could be back in time for Week 1.

“While Jason was treated and released in south Florida the same day of the accident, we wanted to ensure that our medical team had an opportunity to perform a thorough evaluation here in Tampa, and that process is currently ongoing,” Bucs GM Jason Licht said.

The Bucs received a 12.5-sack season from Pierre-Paul in 2018, it doubling as Tampa Bay’s double-digit sack season since 2005. He obviously remains a key figure in Tampa Bay’s defense — even as it moves to a 3-4 look, a scheme in which JPP has not played as an NFLer. Tampa Bay drafted a pass rusher, Iowa’s Anthony Nelson, but waited until Round 4 to do so. The Bucs signed Shaquil Barrett this offseason. Prior to the injury, JPP was not attending Bucs offseason workouts.

This marks the second major off-field injury for JPP, who suffered severe hand damage in a 2015 fireworks accident, and the second straight offseason in which the Bucs have dealt with an off-field injury. Kendell Beckwith did not play last season because of an ankle injury sustained in a car accident.

With Pierre-Paul’s $7.5MM injury guarantee becoming a full guarantee in March, the Bucs have little recourse here when it comes to the salary cap. But it’s certainly possible the team looks for another pass rusher in free agency. Gerald McCoy is expected to be released, if no trade can be reached, freeing up $13MM in cap space. The Bucs hold just $1.8MM in space, so they would have to create some space before pursuing one of the UFA edge rushers.

Buccaneers defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul was involved in a single-car accident early Thursday morning, which TMZ first reported. The team has since confirmed the news.

Luckily, it appears that JPP was not seriously hurt. He did, however, seek medical attention at a South Florida-area hospital, as Jenna Laine of ESPN.com writes. GM Jason Licht issued the following statement:

“We have been informed that Jason was involved in a one-car accident early this morning in South Florida in which he was not cited. We know that he was evaluated at a local hospital and has since been released. Our immediate concern is for the safety and well-being of Jason and his passenger. We have been in contact with Jason and will be getting him further evaluated by our medical staff in the near future.”

As Licht notes, Pierre-Paul did not receive a citation, and TMZ indicates that he wasn’t speeding or otherwise engaged in any wrongdoing. It was simply an accident.

This sounds like it will have a much happier ending than JPP’s last offseason incident, in which a fireworks accident ultimately led to the amputation of his right index finger.

As Greg Auman of The Athletic observes, this is becoming sort of a Buccaneers family tradition (Twitter links). Last spring, LB Kendell Beckwith was involved in a car accident that forced him to miss the entire 2018 campaign and that has put his career in jeopardy. The year before, RB Doug Martin was in a car accident, though he did not sustain any serious injuries as a result.

Pierre-Paul posted 12.5 sacks for Tampa Bay last season, his first with the Bucs, and he will be counted on to spearhead the club’s pass rush again in 2019. Laine notes that JPP has not been in Tampa for the Bucs’ offseason program, opting to spend time with family instead, just as he did last year.