Quarles has elbow injury in addition to forearm
Tampa Bay starting middle linebacker Shelton Quarles, who on Thursday broke his left forearm in practice, will undergo surgery Saturday to repair that fracture and also some ancillary damage to his elbow.
A timeframe for his return has not yet been set and, with the revelation that his elbow was also injured, there are fears that Quarles could miss a considerable portion of the season and even perhaps the entire year.
"It's broken so bad they've got to go in and put a plate in it (on Saturday)," Quarles said. "I think the elbow made it worse maybe than they originally thought."
Team physicians performed a CAT scan on Friday and that test, plus results of surgery, should provide the medical staff a clearer picture of Quarles' prognosis. Quarles will be replaced for Monday night's season opener at Philadelphia by fourth-year veteran Nate Webster, who will make only the second regular-season start of his career.
The loss of Quarles for an indefinite period means Tampa Bay will start the season minus two of three starting linebackers from '02. Strongside linebacker Alshermond Singleton signed with the Dallas Cowboys this spring as an unrestricted free agent. He is replaced by Ryan Nece, the son of Hall of Fame safety Ronnie Lott, but just a second-year player who participated in only eight games in 2002.
Nece, who made the '02 roster as an undrafted free agent, beat out veteran free agent Dwayne Rudd for the No. 1 job and will start his first game on Monday night.
A six-year veteran, Quarles is a key to the Tampa Bay "cover two" defensive scheme because of his rare pass coverage skills. Quarles has the ability to run to the deep middle zone, 18-20 yards down the field, and also to blanket running backs in pass routes. He moved to middle linebacker, from his longtime strongside spot, last year and ended up participating in the Pro Bowl when several players at the position were injured.
Quarles, 31, had a career-best 159 tackles in his first season in the middle. He also had two interceptions and five passes defensed.
"It's a huge, huge loss, no doubt," Gruden acknowledged.
Gruden said it might be possible for Quarles to play with a cast, but all but ruled that out for now. He noted that Quarles will "probably be knocking on my door tomorrow" and trying to figure out a way to play while injured.
Not surprisingly, Quarles on Friday said he felt he could play sooner than expected.
"I feel like I can play now," he said. "All I need is a brace. Lock me in a tackling position and I'll be ready to go."
Webster, who re-signed with the Bucs this summer after testing the free agent market, said he was stunned by the injury, which occurred right in front of him. Webster has been known through his career as a fiery player, but one who allows his emotions to get the batter of him, and whose production then suffers.
It is believed that several senior members of the defense already have spoken to him about playing under control. Gruden said he was confident that Webster has learned his lessons from the past and that his temper will not be a problem.
"Nate Webster is not part of my concerns," Gruden said. "It's Shelton Quarles, who is an inspiration to me and to this team. . . . But he'll be back."
Because he is now a starter, Webster will be removed from all the special teams units. The Bucs on Friday signed tight end Daniel Wilcox, a solid special teams player, and they released veteran tight end Tony McGee to open up a roster spot. There is some possibility that McGee, who signed in Tampa Bay on Monday after being released by Dallas over the weekend, will be re-signed at a later date.
Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.
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