The Tampa Bay Bucs were supposed to cap off their preseason with a game against the Washington Redskins on Thursday night. But a tropical depression churning in the Gulf of Mexico has altered their plans and moved the game to Wednesday.
Clear skies hovering over the Tampa Bay Bucs at Tuesday's practice are expected to turn much darker. The impending storm has forced the Bucs to adjust and make a change to the schedule.
"This is what we do, this is our job and I feel like any time you are called upon with a change like this, I feel like it's for the safety of the players of both teams," Bucs cornerback Jude Adjel-Barimah said. "I think the fact that they moved it up, we just have to be able to be flexible and adjust and get ready to go."
For a group of guys who are creatures of habit and routine, what a difference a day makes.
"The safety of getting the game is the most important thing there," head coach Dirk Koetter said. "Obviously the weather is unpredictable and we have to go by what’s forecast.
"There’s still guys that this game is really important to as far as jobs and making teams, making practice squad, getting picked up by other teams. That’s the same for both teams. So I appreciate everybody’s hard work."
The Bucs got down to the requisite 75 players by the Tuesday deadline.
The next round of cuts will be the toughest, down to 53 by Saturday, and only one game left for some to solidify a spot on the roster.