The Buccaneers placed Bernard (hip/knee) on injured reserve Tuesday, Scott Smith of the team's official site reports.

EDGE Analysis

Bernard was knocked from the Bucs' Week 14 overtime win against the Bills due to a hip injury. Not only was he eventually diagnosed with a strained hip, an MCL sprain is among the reasons he is heading to IR. Bernard will miss at least three games as a result of the move, meaning his next potential game action won't come until Week 18 against the Panthers, at the earliest. Tampa Bay has been riding Leonard Fournette out of the backfield all season, but Ronald Jones and Ke'Shawn Vaughn now are the other candidates to get on the field in obvious passing situations in place of Bernard.