The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have activated inside linebacker Kevin Minter from the reserve/COVID-19 list, making him available for the NFC Championship Game on Sunday. The Buccaneers currently have no players on the COVID list.
Minter, who was originally placed on the list on January 11, can return to practice with the Buccaneers on Wednesday morning. He missed the team's Divisional Round playoff win at New Orleans last Sunday but had started the previous two games while Devin White was on the COVID list. His return plus the promotion of Deone Bucannon to the active roster on Tuesday gives the Buccaneers four inside linebackers for Sunday, the amount they usually have active for a game.
Minter has 19 tackles and two passes defensed in the 2020 season, including the playoffs, most of it coming in the two games he started against Atlanta in Week 17 and Washington in the Wild Card round. He also plays extensively on special teams. In 107 career regular season games and 47 starts he has recorded 314 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks, 18 quarterback hits, seven passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
The activation of Minter puts the Buccaneers back at 53 players on the active roster.