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TAMPA, Fla – Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians said on Friday tight end Rob Gronkowski (ribs) will be a decision to be made against the New England Patriots, although the team later classified as questionable in his final injury report.
Arians also said outside linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul (hand, shoulder) will be a game-time decision to face the Pats on Sunday. It is officially listed as questionable.
Gronkowski was seen in training on Friday during the media portion but did not compete for a third straight day, while Pierre-Paul trained for the first time since September 15. Arians said on Monday that he “hadn’t planned” for Pierre-Paul to play this weekend.
Gronkowski has been one of the Bucs’ strongest weapons in the red zone this season, while Pierre-Paul has been the emotional leader of a defense that has only had three sacks in the first three games.
The running back Giovani Bernard (knee) is registered as absent. The same goes for cornerback Jamel Dean (knee), which means the Bucs will be deprived of two of the three starting cornerbacks. Richard Sherman, who signed with the team on Wednesday, will be active.
“We’ll get him up just in case,” Arians said.
Sherman said it would take him about a week to acclimate to the Bucs system.
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