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Injuries force changes on Bucs' offensive line

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Posted 7:23AM on Wednesday 25th September 2002 ( 22 years ago )
TAMPA, FLORIDA - Right tackle Kenyatta Walker and left guard Kerry Jenkins will be sidelined up to four weeks each because of injuries during Tampa Bay&#39;s win over St. Louis. <br> <br> Walker most likely will miss a month with a high left ankle sprain. Left guard Kerry Jenkins will be out 2-to-4 weeks with a small crack in his left leg. The Bucs&#39; next two games are against Cincinnati and Atlanta. <br> <br> Linebacker Derrick Brooks (strained left hamstring) and cornerback Brian Kelly (right shoulder sprain) are listed as questionable for Sunday&#39;s game at Cincinnati. <br> <br> Brooks and Kelly each had one of Tampa Bay&#39;s four interceptions of Kurt Warner in the Bucs&#39; 26-14 win over the Rams on Monday night. <br> <br> Kelly returned his fourth-quarter interception 30 yards to the St. Louis 1, setting up a Mike Alstott touchdown run. Brooks sealed the victory when he scored on a 39-yard interception return with just under a minute remaining. <br> <br> Brooks also returned an interception 97 yards for a touchdown last week, preserving a 25-0 shutout of the Baltimore Ravens. He leads the Bucs in interceptions (three) and touchdowns (two). <br> <br> Cornell Green, who started at right tackle in the Bucs&#39; season opener against New Orleans, will move back into the lineup in place of Walker. Todd Washington, who started the opener at right guard because Cosey Coleman was still recovering from knee surgery, will take over for Jenkins at left guard. <br> <br> To address a need for backup linemen, the Bucs re-signed second-year guard Russ Hochstein, who was released when the team signed tight end Rickey Dudley last week. <br> <br> ``We have to look at it optimistically,&#39;&#39; coach Jon Gruden said. ``At the same time, we&#39;re concerned about our depth on the offensive line.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Gruden cleared a roster spot for Hochstein by releasing tight end Marco Battaglia. He opened another by trading safety David Gibson to the Indianapolis Colts for an undisclosed draft pick. <br> <br> The moves leave the roster one player shy of the 53-man limit. The team may sign another lineman or possibly a linebacker, depending on how Brooks feels as the week progresses.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/9/189710

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