The Tampa Bay Buccaneers placed defensive end George Johnson on season-ending injured reserve Friday due to a hip injury.
The 28-year-old Johnson suffered a hip fracture during practice Thursday, according to ESPN. Doctors are still assessing if there is any tissue damage and an ESPN source said that it looks as though Johnson won’t need surgery, with the best-case scenario being 16 weeks of recovery.
Johnson played in 11 games (five starts) for the Bucs in 2015, totaling 23 tackles and two forced fumbles. During the 2014 season with the Detroit Lions, he registered six sacks. The Bucs traded a fifth-round draft pick for Johnson and received a seventh-round selection.
Tampa Bay signed defensive end Martin Ifedi to take Johnson’s place on the 90-man roster.
The 6-foot-3, 275-pound Ifedi, 24, spent part of last season on the Bucs’ practice squad and was with the team this offseason until being waived on May 2.