Bucs Pro Bowl LB Quarles to undergo surgery Saturday

TAMPA, Florida (Ticker) - Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pro Bowl linebacker Shelton Quarles will undergo surgery Saturday to repair his fractured left forearm and elbow.

Quarles, the second-leading tackler on Tampa Bay's No. 1 ranked defense last season, is expected to be sidelined at least six weeks.

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Nate Webster, who had made just one start in three seasons with the Bucs, will replace Quarles in the middle.

The defending Super Bowl champion Buccaneers open the season Monday night at Philadelphia in a rematch of the NFC championship game.

Quarles suffered the injury Thursday while blocking on a special teams drill.

Last season, Quarles made the switch from strongside linebacker to the middle and landed his first Pro Bowl berth. He recorded a career-high 159 tackles with two interceptions and a sack.