Buccaneers' Cecil Shorts: Could be in line for expanded role with V-Jax injury

Shorts (hamstring) could see an increased role in the wake of Vincent Jackson's knee injury and if so, he feels prepared for it, Scott Smith of the team's official site reports. "I think the biggest thing for me is making sure I know my assignment and do my job. That time I had when I was out [due to injury] was a good time to catch up and study a lot of stuff. So I'm kind of caught up from a gameplan standpoint, not necessarily the whole offense but the gameplan and what's going on. So I feel pretty confident out there."

The veteran wideout has been sidelined since Week 2 with his hamstring injury, which ironically, occurred on his first catch in a Bucs uniform. The 28-year-old has played both inside and outside in his five NFL seasons, so he presents as the most adequate candidate overall in terms of experience and skill set to take on a lot of Jackson's routes. With the time off apparently having given Shorts an opportunity further acclimate to his responsibilities within the team's offensive system, he could be in line for a decent amount of targets against a questionable 49ers secondary in Week 7 if he's able to go.