The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be without their two starting off-ball linebackers on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, but they will have both starting receivers in action.
Lavonte David and Devin White were named inactive for the Week 13 contest due to groin and foot injuries, respectively. David will be out for the second week in a row while White will miss a game for the first time this season. With rookie linebacker SirVocea Dennis also out due to an illness, J.J. Russell and K.J. Britt will be pressed into action with the starting group.
The Bucs' defense will also be without starting cornerback Jamel Dean for the second week in a row due to ankle and foot injuries. Second-year corner Zyon McCollum will once again step into the starting lineup.
Wide receiver Chris Godwin was considered questionable for the game after aggravating a neck injury in practice on Thursday and he did not practice on Friday. However, he was cleared for action before the game and should start opposite Mike Evans.
Because Godwin was a question mark and Rakim Jarrett was placed on injured reserve in Week 12, the Buccaneers elevated wide receivers Ryan Miller and David Moore from the practice squad for Sunday's game. Due to those two elevations, the Buccaneers had 55 players available on Sunday and thus had to name seven game day inactives. The Panthers elevated center Justin McCray and defensive end Chris Wormley from the practice squad and also had to name seven inactives for the game.
Tampa Bay promoted John Wolford from the practice squad in Week Nine, meaning the team is now carrying three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster. As such, the Bucs will take advantage of the NFL's new "inactive third quarterback" rule again on Sunday. Wolford is on the inactive list for the game but would be allowed to play if both Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask exited the game due to injury or ejection.
The Buccaneers and Panthers submitted their list of inactives at 2:35 p.m. ET on Sunday, 90 minutes before the scheduled kickoff of their Week 13 game at Raymond James Stadium.
Carolina's inactive information will be added shortly.
BUCCANEERS INACTIVES
- LB Lavonte David
- CB Jamel Dean
- LB SirVocea Dennis
- RB Ke'Shawn Vaughn
- T Brandon Walton
- LB Devin White
- QB John Wolford
David, Dean, Dennis and White are out due to injury or illness. Wolford is the inactive third quarterback and would be eligible to play in the game if both Mayfield and Trask are injured or disqualified.
PANTHERS INACTIVES
- S Vonn Bell
- CB Shaquill Griffin
- TE Hayden Hurst
- OLB D.J. Johnson
- T Ricky Lee
- WR Terrace Marshall
- TE Tommy Tremble
Bell, Hurst and Tremble are out due to injury.
