What's Next for Buccaneers After Adrian Clayborn's Season-Ending Injury?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were tabbed by many to go from the outhouse to the penthouse in 2014. Led by new head coach Lovie Smith and a retooled defensive front, more than a few pundits tabbed Tampa Bay a dark-horse playoff contender.

Well, the Buccaneers looked nothing like a playoff contender in a sloppy home loss to the Carolina Panthers to open the season, and now that retooled line is in shambles.

In addition to news that free-agent acquisition Michael Johnson will miss Sunday's matchup with the St. Louis Rams with an injured ankle, the Buccaneers will also be without the services of fellow defensive end Adrian Clayborn, the team announced on Friday.

Only this time, it's for the season.

As Greg Auman of The Tampa Bay Times writes, fourth-year defensive end Adrian Clayborn has been placed on season-ending injured reserve with a biceps injury. It's the second time in four seasons Clayborn hasn't made it through September before hitting injured reserve.

It's a huge blow to the Buccaneers defense:

However, as Ian Rapaport of NFL.com tweeted, no one is hit harder by this than Clayborn himself:

Granted, Clayborn isn't an elite pass-rushing threat, having never tallied more than 7.5 sacks. However the 26-year-old is a high-motor edge-setter and stout run defender and a player Smith was planning on being a cornerstone of the team's front four.

Of course, those plans are now in tatters, and a Tampa Bay defensive line that was supposed to be a strength of the team in 2014 is now a hot mess.

Especially in the short term.

Yes, Pro Bowl defensive tackle Gerald McCoy (the only Tampa D-lineman who didn't spend most of last Sunday's loss to Carolina on the side of a milk carton, by the way) is still there, but after that, the questions start piling up fast.

William Gholston, who would conceivably start in Clayborn's stead, missed last week's game with a shoulder injury. Smith told Auman he's confident Gholston will be a go this week against the Rams.

That's good, because after Gholston comes a who's who of has-beens (Larry English and Da'Quan Bowers) and never-weres (Jacquies Smith). Even if Gholston plays, at least one of that bunch is going to have to start until Johnson returns.

Smith expressed confidence in his reserves, via Auman. "We have some good options. We lost good players, but we feel good about the next group that we'll be playing."

If there's any silver lining in Week 2, it's that Tampa welcomes a Rams team to town that got blown out at home in Week 2.

At least it ain't the Denver Broncos.

In the long term, assuming that Johnson isn't sidelined for an extended period of time, much will depend on Gholston. Smith talked up last year's second-round pick while speaking with Auman.

"Will Gholston is stout against the run, and he's a pretty good pass-rusher, too," Smith said. "It's a shame he got hurt, because he was just really coming on. We're anxious to see him play."

After a whisper-quiet start to his rookie season, Gholston picked up steam down the stretch last year, putting up 20 tackles over the last five weeks of the 2013 season.

Frankly, it was a microcosm for Gholston as a player. The 6'6", 281-pounder is an imposing physical specimen who showed flashes of dominance at Michigan State

However, as NFL.com wrote in its scouting report on Gholston, those flashes were far too often just that:

"

Gholston towers over many of his opponents, and flashes the agility, and understanding of leverage to be an impactful player. However, he tries to run around opponents far too often instead of disengaging with his hands.

"

The Buccaneers are going to need Gholston to be more consistent. In a perfect world, Gholston will step up and take the reins, and in a month, everyone will have forgotten who Adrian Clayborn even is.

However, this isn't a perfect world, and odds are once Johnson returns, the Buccaneers will rotate like crazy opposite Johnson, with Gholston playing on base downs and Smith or Bowers coming in to rush the passer.

It's going to put added pressure on Johnson and McCoy as well. Lovie Smith's defense is predicated on getting pressure on the quarterback with the front four.

And right now, that front four is reeling.

Gary Davenport is an NFL Analyst at Bleacher Report and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association and the Pro Football Writers of America. You can follow Gary on Twitter @IDPManor.