Tampa Bay Buccaneers starting safety Jordan Whitehead will miss Thursday night’s opener against the Dallas Cowboys with a hamstring injury.
Head coach Bruce Arians confirmed Whitehead’s absence on Tuesday and said everyone else on the active roster is “ready to roll.”
Mike Edwards is expected to start in Whitehead’s place when the Bucs begin their Super Bowl defense at Raymond James Stadium.
Arians was asked if he has confidence in Edwards’ ability to step in and make an impact.
“Oh, a ton,” Arians said. “Mike has shown that he’s more than ready and good enough to play a whole ball game. I have all the confidence in the world in him.”
A fourth-round pick by Tampa Bay in 2018, Whitehead started all 16 games last season and registered 74 tackles, two interceptions, two sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He added nine tackles and two forced fumbles in four postseason games.
Whitehead, 24, has 219 tackles and three picks in 45 career games (41 starts).