Cade Otton

Bridgewater played the entire second half in the team's Week 12 blowout loss to the Rams after Baker Mayfield went down with a shoulder injury that was deemed a "low-grade" shoulder sprain -- one that could cost him at least one week. Bridgewater on Sunday completed eight of 15 attempts for 62 scoreless yards, with an average depth of target of 6.4, well short of Mayfield's aDOT of 8.5. "He's a different quarterback, so schematically, we'll have to do some different things for him to make him feel comfortable within the offense and do a lot of things he likes to do," Bowles said of Bridgewater. "There are some similar things, but there are also some differences that way to make him more comfortable. He's been here long enough to where if he had to go, we can tweak it the right way for him to be successful." Short-area Bucs pass catchers like Cade Otton and Rachaad White might benefit if Bridgewater draws the start in Week 13 against the Cardinals.

Otton's surface stats look similar to the rest of the team considering the Buccaneers managed only 193 yards of total offense, but it was the mistakes that proved most costly. One of Baker Mayfield's two interceptions was a ball juggled by Otton that was then ripped away by the defender, resulting in a pick-six in what was then a 7-0 game. The Rams would pile it on from there before taking a 31-7 lead into the break, made worse by a second quarter injury to Mayfield that held him out for the second half. The up-and-down season for the veteran tight end continues with uncertainty at the quarterback position, pending testing on Mayfield's non-throwing shoulder.

Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin (fibula) is out for Sunday s game vs. the Bills. He was limited in practice all week, potentially setting him up for a Week 12 return. Godwin s absence this weekend keeps WR Tez Johnson and TE Cade Otton in play as low-end fantasy starters.