Carlton Davis III is returning to action just in time to get his first taste of the NFL postseason. Mike Evans will get to make his playoff debut, as well.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' third-year cornerback, who tied for second in the NFL with 18 passes defensed despite missing the last two games with a groin injury, is active for Saturday night's Wild Card game against the Washington Football Team.
Wide receiver Mike Evans has also been cleared to play, just six days after sustaining a scary-looking knee injury in the Buccaneers' regular season-capping win over the Atlanta Falcons. Evans was listed as questionable on Thursday's injury report and was considered a game-day decision but he showed enough mobility before the game to suit up against Washington.
Defensive lineman Jeremiah Ledbetter (calf injury) and running back LeSean McCoy (illness) are the only two players on the current active roster who had to be ruled out due to injury or illness. However, the Buccaneers are still without inside linebacker Devin White, a second-team Associated Press All-Pro selection, and defensive lineman Steve McLendon, both of whom remain on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Kevin Minter is expected to start in White's place for the second straight week.
Washington will play without quarterback Alex Smith, who was ruled out due to a calf injury that has limited him in recent weeks. Taylor Heinicke will make the second start of his career and his first in the playoffs. The better news for Washington is that running back Antonio Gibson and wide receiver Terry McLaurin were cleared to play.
The Buccaneers announced their list of inactives at 6:45 p.m. ET, 90 minutes before their scheduled kickoff against Washington. White and McClendon don't count against the active roster while on the COVID list and the Friday release of linebacker Chapelle Russell brought the active roster down to 51 players. However, after making four practice squad elevations, the Buccaneers took 55 available players into Saturday night's game, which means they had to declare seven of them inactive in order to get to the game day limit of 48.
The Football Team had to declare six players inactive. Washington came into game day with a full 53-man roster and a 54th player, wide receiver Dontrelle Inman, elevated from the practice squad.
BUCCANEERS INACTIVES
- TE Antony Auclair
- QB Ryan Griffin
- DL Jeremiah Ledbetter
- RB LeSean McCoy
- CB Herb Miller
- G Aaron Stinnie
- WR Justin Watson
Ledbetter and McCoy are out due to injury or illness.
FOOTBALL TEAM INACTIVES
- LB Thomas Davis
- WR Antonio Gandy-Golden
- LB Jordan Kunaszyk
- RB Lamar Miller
- QB Alex Smith
- T David Steinmetz
Davis and Smith are out due to injury.
