Justin Herbert missed practice on Wednesday and said he is taking things "day-by-day" as the Bolts began preparing for the Buccaneers.
The Chargers quarterback was listed on the Injury Report with ankle and thigh injuries and said after practice that he was dealing with a left ankle sprain.
"If I felt like I could've practiced at 100 percent and make sure everybody's getting the full speed rep, I definitely would've," Herbert said. "I didn't think I was able to do that, the trainers didn't think I would be able to do that today. So we were all on the same page with that."
He later added: "It really is day-by-day and how I'm feeling."
Herbert said he wasn't sure of the severity of his left ankle sprain, which he noted is different than the right high ankle sprain he dealt with earlier this season.
"I would say this one is probably not as severe," Herbert said. "It's definitely painful enough to be able to miss a practice, but I felt like I've been able to move around a little bit better this week than I did after Carolina where I was put into a boot and had difficulty walking. I think we're farther along this week."
Herbert said he sustained the ankle injury on the Chargers first offensive drive in Kansas City when he scrambled for seven yards on third-and-16.
The quarterback also missed one play near the end of the first half with what Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh termed a "contusion."
Herbert, who was wearing a sleeve on his left leg Wednesday, also said that he's been dealing with some swelling to his left knee of late.
"I couldn't tell you exactly when. It was just something that popped up," Herbert said. "Just working with trainers and doctors and compressing it, keeping it warm. Doing everything we can to limit that swelling."
Herbert has endured some tough injury luck of late in his NFL career.
He suffered torn rib cartilage in 2022 and dealt with multiple fractured fingers last year. Herbert's 2023 season ended with him on Injured Reserve.
Herbert then suffered the severe high right ankle sprain in Week 2 against Carolina, an injury that limited his mobility in the pocket for multiple games.
But Herbert said Wednesday he doesn't think his current ankle issue is as bad as previous injuries he's dealt with.
"It could be a lot worse," Herbert said. "Unfortunately, I've been through some pretty gruesome injuries … it's been bad and it's been worse.
"To fight through this, it's part of the game and one of the things that has made this locker room so special," Herbert continued. "All those guys are so tough and it's part of the game. It's an unfortunate part of the game but it's reality.
"We've got a great set of trainers in there, sports medicine, that really take care of us and do everything they can to protect us," Herbert added. "At the end of the day, we feel safe going out there."
Herbert said the worst of his recent ailments was the torn rib cartilage in 2022.
"It could always be the ribs … this is nothing compared to that. It does give you perspective," Herbert said.
Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh said earlier Wednesday that he hopes his star quarterback will be ready by Sunday's 1:25 p.m. kickoff against Tampa Bay at SoFi Stadium.
"I know this, he'll be doing anything and everything in his power to play on Sunday," Harbaugh said. "I've seen it now over and over. Certainly a lesser man wouldn't be doing the things that he does. What more can one man do? He's a beast."
Taylor Heinicke took first-team reps at quarterback in the open viewing session of Wednesday's practice.
