57 Noah Spence DE

Spence (shoulder) has high expectations for himself heading into 2017, Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Spence had a serviceable rookie season, notching 22 tackles (16 solo), 5.5 sacks, two passes defensed and three forced fumbles. However, he also separated his shoulder and suffered a full labrum tear in Week 4, which required him to wear a harness the rest of the season. Spence then reseparated the shoulder in the season finale against the Panthers, ultimately leading to offseason surgery. Spence is expected to be completely healthy for his second campaign and has already shed eight-to-10 pounds off his playing weight of 251 last season. That's been accompanied by an approximate five-percent reduction in body fat, which should render Spence an even more effective pass-rushing threat in the coming season.

Spence is undergoing shoulder surgery to repair a fully torn labrum Wednesday, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports.

Spence suffered the shoulder injury during the Buccaneers' season finale against the Panthers but not before recording three tackles. He'll have plenty of time to recover before training camp in July. Spence, a 2016 second-round pick, finished his rookie campaign with 22 tackles, 5.5 sacks, two passes defensed and three forced fumbles in 16 games.

Spence injured his shoulder during Sunday's 17-16 victory over the Panthers, ESPN reports.

The severity of Spence's injury isn't clear. However, considering he wasn't immediately ruled out of the game upon going down, the issue likely isn't serious. Regardless, he'll have plenty of time to recover in the offseason.

Spence, who added another pass defensed to his 2016 tally in Sunday's victory over the Saints, has been one of the top rookie defensive ends in the league despite serving as a rotational player, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports.

The second-round pick with first-round pedigree has blossomed as the season has unfolded, playing a key part in the Bucs defense's resurgence over the past month. Spence garnered NFL Rookie of the Week following a 1.5-sack performance against the Seahawks on Nov. 27, an effort that also helped propel him to NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month honors for November. Entering the Week 14 matchup with the Saints, Spence had been tied with Chargers top pick Joey Bosa for most sacks among rookie defensive ends with 5.5, while his three forced fumbles tied him for second in the league among rookies. With the pass rush playing such an integral part in the team's recent defensive improvement, Spence's impact on the unit has undeniably been a significant one.

Spence is dealing with a sprained ankle and could miss time at practice this week, Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com reports.

Look for more updates to come once the practice reports are released this week, as the severity of the sprain remains relatively unknown. Should he miss time, Nate Palmer could see extended reps on the defensive front.