The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints named their game-day inactives on Sunday at 11:30 p.m. ET, 90 minutes before kickoff of their Week 13 game at Raymond James Stadium. NFL teams are required to reduce their active rosters to 46 players for each regular-season game.
The Buccaneers' list of inactives in Week 14 represents a shift in depth in the secondary since the previous week. Cornerbacks Brent Grimes and M.J. Stewart, both of whom were out in Week 13 against Carolina, are back to active status, Stewart for the first time since Week Eight. However, safety Justin Evans (toe) and Isaiah Johnson (concussion) both sustained injuries against the Panthers and are inactive for Sunday's game. Tampa Bay will thus have six cornerbacks and three safeties available to play against Drew Brees and the Saints. Head Coach Dirk Koetter said that several of those defensive backs have been cross-trained to play both positions.
The Buccaneers will also be without wide receiver DeSean Jackson for the second straight week thanks to a thumb injury. However, defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, who is tied for fourth in the NFL with 11.5 sacks, has been cleared to play despite seeing very little practice time during the week.
The Saints have only one player who is ruled out for Sunday's game due to injury, as Terron Armstead, the usual starter at left tackle, will miss a fourth straight game due to a pectoral injury. Jermon Bushrod has started the last three games in Armstead's place.
BUCCANEERS INACTIVES
· LB Riley Bullough
· CB Carlton Davis
· S Justin Evans
· QB Ryan Griffin
· WR DeSean Jackson
· S Isaiah Johnson
· DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches
Davis, Evans, Jackson and Johnson are out due to injury.
SAINTS INACTIVES
· T Terron Armstead
· TE Dan Arnold
· C Will Clapp
· DE Trey Hendrickson
· DL Mitchell Loewen
· WR Brandon Marshall
· LB Manti Te'o
Armstead is out due to injury.
