Bucs' Askew out for season after 3-car wreck

Tampa Bay Buccaneers fullback B.J. Askew has been placed on the non-football injury list and will be lost for this season.

Askew injured his neck and back during a car crash last week and missed Tampa Bay's 28-21 loss to Carolina in Tampa.

Bucs coach Raheem Morris was unsure Tuesday how bad Askew's injury was, but he will miss Tampa Bay's final 10 games.

Askew was injured in a three-vehicle wreck at Habana Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard at 8:14 a.m. Oct. 12, police said. The report was written by hand and not immediately submitted to the department, explaining why the report wasn't available to the media. The report was in by this morning.

Police said Christopher D. Graham, 37, 10103 Sherwood Lane, Riverview, was driving westbound on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard at about 30 mph when his 2006 Ford struck the rear of the 2003 Mercedes driven by Askew, which was stopped for a red light. The Mercedes hit a 2004 Chevrolet in front of it. That car was driven by Cecil Lloyd, 79, 3613 E. Henry St.

Paramedics transported Askew, 29, to St. Joseph's Hospital, which is on the corner of the crash scene, police said. Graham was given a citation for careless driving. Neither Graham nor Lloyd was injured, police said.

Running back Earnest Graham filled in at fullback for Askew against Carolina and likely will continue in that role. Graham played fullback last year after Askew and B.J. Storer sustained injuries.

This crash is one of the latest injury setbacks for Askew since joining Tampa Bay in 2007.

Prior to this season, Askew started 14 of 33 games (including the postseason) for Tampa Bay due to injuries. Askew appeared in 24 games but played with pain in many of those contests and rarely was at 100 percent.

The Bucs also signed cornerback Marcus McCauley and released cornerback Derrick Roberson from the active roster and re-signed him to the practice squad.

McCauley was released by Detroit on Sept. 28. He entered the league as a third-round pick (72nd overall) of the Minnesota Vikings in 2007 and was one of two rookies to play in all 16 regular-season games while starting nine contests. Over his career, McCauley has played in 27 games with 10 starts, 66 tackles and 10 pass breakups.