NEW ORLEANS -- The injuries to Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady's offensive line continue to mount, with left tackle Josh Wells, who was filling in for starter Donovan Smith, leaving Sunday's game at the New Orleans Saints in the second quarter with a calf injury.
Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said after his team's 20-10 victory that he did not have an update on Wells' calf.
"Not yet. They're gonna run some tests on it and they'll let us know," he said.
Defensive lineman Akiem Hicks also was ruled out after suffering a foot injury when taking on a double-team against Andrus Peat and Erik McCoy when outside linebacker Shaq Barrett knocked the ball loose from Jameis Winston's hands, forcing a fumble.
Bowles said he did not have a sense as to if it would be a long-term injury for Hicks.
"Not at this time. I'll go back in the training room after this. He'll get some tests run and we'll see," he said.
Wells suffered the injury in the second quarter with two minutes to go before the half. After pass blocking against Marcus Davenport, he came off the field with a noticeable limp. Smith, who is missing just his third game in eight seasons, suffered a hyperextended right elbow last week at the Dallas Cowboys.
Hicks is part of a rotation of defensive linemen that includes rookie second-round draft pick Logan Hall.
Wells' replacement was Brandon Walton, a third-string tackle who originally signed with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2020 and had been claimed off waivers from the Pittsburgh Steelers and signed to the Buccaneers' practice squad last year.
Bowles indicated last week that it was a pain tolerance issue for Smith, in terms of playing. He did not practice at all this week. When asked if there was a possibility of him playing next week, Bowles said, "It's too early to tell."
Third-down running back Giovani Bernard, who played exclusively on special teams Sunday, suffered an ankle injury in the third quarter and did not return.