Tom Brady and Buccaneers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady will be away from the team for a period of time to “deal with some personal issues,” coach Todd Bowles said Thursday.

Bowles said Brady’s absence was discussed beforehand and that he will return after next week’s preseason game against the Tennessee Titans on Aug. 20.

“This is something we talked about before training camp started,” Bowles said. “We allotted this time because I wanted to come in and have chemistry with the guys and go through two weeks of training camp, knowing I wasn’t going to play the first two games. I didn’t want to take reps away from Blaine [Gabbert] and Kyle [Trask], as well as ‘Griff’ [Ryan Griffin] heading into these next two games, knowing it’s something he has to handle.”

When asked if the issue was health-related, Bowles said, “It’s a personal issue. That’s all I can tell you.”

Bowles said he has a “pretty high level of confidence” that Brady will be the Bucs’ starting quarterback in Week 1 at home to the Dallas Cowboys.

Bowles had previously announced that Brady would not play in Saturday’s preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins.

Brady had excused absences last Wednesday, his previously scheduled day off and also his 45th birthday, and last Friday. The Buccaneers as a team had a bad day last Thursday.

Bowles said he wasn’t concerned about the missed time, largely because of Brady’s experience and work ethic. He doesn’t think it will disrupt the offense’s progression, even as Brady has worked to gain chemistry with new pieces such as wide receivers Julio Jones and Russell Gage and tight end Kyle Rudolph.