The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' defense lost do-it-all defensive back Christian Izien to injured reserve in Week 17 but will be getting some reinforcements at two different levels. Linebacker K.J. Britt is active after missing three weeks with an ankle injury, and safety Jordan Whitehead is set to play after being activated from injured reserve on Saturday.
That defensive crew will still be without safety Antoine Winfield Jr., who was ruled out on Friday and will miss a third straight game due to a knee injury. Tight end Cade Otton has the same ailment and will be out for a second straight week, while wide receiver Sterling Shepard is sidelined by a hamstring injury.
The Buccaneers and Panthers submitted their list of inactives at 11:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, 90 minutes before the scheduled kickoff of their Week 17 game at Raymond James Stadium. After elevating linebacker Deion Jones and quarterback Michael Pratt from the practice squad on Saturday, the Buccaneers had 55 available players and thus had to name seven inactives to get down to the game-day limit of 48.
BUCCANEERS INACTIVES
- OLB Shaquil Barrett
- G Royce Newman
- TE Cade Otton
- QB Michael Pratt
- OLB Jose Ramirez
- WR Sterling Shepard
- S Antoine Winfield Jr.
Otton, Shepard and Winfield are out due to injury.
PANTHERS INACTIVES
- CB Jaycee Horn
- S Jordan Fuller
- LB Josey Jewell
- T Taylor Moton
- QB Jack Plummer (3rd QB)
- WR Deven Thompkins
Horn, Jewell and Moton are out due to injury.