PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers got a measure of good news on the injury front when they learned that rookie inside linebacker Ryan Shazier sprained his right knee but avoided a more serious injury after teammate Lawrence Timmons rolled onto his lower leg in a 37-19 win over the Carolina Panthers.

Shazier won’t play Sunday against the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said, and cornerback Ike Taylor is out indefinitely after undergoing surgery on his broken right forearm.

With Taylor sidelined, William Gay will play right cornerback in the Steelers’ base defense and move to the slot, where the eighth-year veteran normally plays in the nickel package.

Tomlin said Antwon Blake, Brice McCain and B.W. Webb will compete this week for the job of right cornerback in the Steelers’ nickel defense.

"We’ll let those guys sort themselves out on the practice field,” Tomlin said Tuesday at his weekly news conference.

Sean Spence will get the first opportunity to replace Shazier at left inside linebacker, but Tomlin did not discount Vince Williams also competing for the starting job while Shazier is sidelined.

Williams started 11 games at left inside linebacker last season, but he has been playing behind Timmons at right inside linebacker.

“We’re not going to close the door on any developments in terms of division of labor,” Tomlin said.

Tomlin is hopeful that the Steelers will get a couple of injured players back for their 1 p.m. ET game Sunday against the Buccaneers.

Rookie running back Dri Archer (ankle) and starting left guard Ramon Foster (ankle) are expected to do more in practice this week, Tomlin said.

Archer hasn’t played since spraining his ankle in the Steelers’ season opener.

Foster didn’t play in the Steelers’ win over the Panthers after spraining his ankle last week in practice.

“Ramon’s got to show that he’s capable of above the line movement with that ankle injury,” Tomlin said.