Christian Izien’s play has made Todd Bowles smile too.

While Todd Bowles wouldn’t say yesterday in his day-after presser that Bucs safety Jordan Whitehead is done for the year with a pec injury, credible sources such as Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports have reported Whitehead’s season is done.

No one from the Bucs has pushed back on Schultz’s report or anyone else reporting this.

Bowles was asked who will replace Whitehead. Bowles said he wasn’t sure. Who it likely will be is a committee of players. Or, as Bowles said, a situational player, depending on down, distance, score and of course who is playing well.

Bowles did seem to give a lot of credence to the idea that second-year defensive back Christian Izien could be Whitehead’s replacement.

Bowles spoke highly of Izien’s play this season.

“He’s probably the quickest one from A to B, as far as getting – when a quarterback is releasing the ball to when a receiver is catching it, he can take off right away,” Bowles said. “He’s a very sure tackler that way. His vision is expanding, it’s been very good for us in the underneath coverage as well as some of the zone stuff back deep.

“He’s excelled in coverage for us.”

Of course, there is always the option of recently returned Mike Edwards who the Bucs brought back last week. Bowles told Dan Lucas of WFLA-TV Channel 8 getting Edwards on the field against the Giants was “huge” in helping out the Bucs defense.

To be honest, Whitehead wasn’t playing terribly but there were times Joe wondered how motivated he truly was. Simply put, Whitehead isn’t the same player he was when he previously played for the Bucs.