Bruce Arians tests positive for COVID-19, Bucs also add CBs Jamel Dean, Sean Murphy-Bunting to list

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, per ESPN’s Field Yates. The 69-year-old head coach is reportedly vaccinated, which is good news. Assistant head coach Harold Goodwin will take over for Arians until he’s able to return to the field.

Along with Arians, the Bucs also placed cornerbacks Jamel Dean and Sean Murphy-Bunting on the reserve/COVID-19 list. The Buccaneers can ill afford to have any additional players out due to injury or COVID-19. After their Week 15 loss to the New Orleans Saints, we saw Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Leonard Fournette leave the game with injuries. Evans was just placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Monday afternoon.

With Dean and Murphy-Bunting potentially out for Sunday’s game against the New York Jets, Tampa Bay will likely start Ross Cockrell at left cornerback and give some more snaps to Pierre Desir. We could also see Richard Sherman or Carlton Davis III at Murphy-Bunting’s starting spot.