The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offensive line has its two bookends back in place, just in time for a critical NFC South showdown against the Carolina Panthers.
Tampa Bay last had both left tackle Donovan Smith and right tackle Tristan Wirfs together in overtime of their Week 12 loss at Cleveland. Wirfs suffered an ankle injury in that extra period against the Browns and missed the next three games. He returned to his spot last Sunday in Arizona – not long after learning he had been named to his second consecutive Pro Bowl – but Smith was sidelined for that contest by a foot injury. Both appeared on the Buccaneers' injury report this week, and Smith was considered questionable to play Sunday, but both were cleared to play against the Panthers.
The Bucs will be without starting cornerback Carlton Davis, who leads the defense with 12 passes defensed, but they will get back their other starting corner, Jamel Dean, who missed the previous two games with a toe injury. Dean was one of three defensive backs considered questionable for the game but he and safeties Mike Edwards (hamstring) and Antoine Winfield Jr. (ankle) will all play against the Panthers.
The Bucs had six players listed as questionable on Friday's injury report but all six were cleared to play, including defensive tackle Vita Vea, wide receiver Julio Jones and safeties Mike Edwards and Antoine Winfield, Jr.
The Buccaneers and Panthers submitted their list of inactives at 11:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, 90 minutes before the scheduled kickoff of their Week 17 matchup at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers did not elevate anyone from the practice squad for the game and thus only had to name five players inactive to get down to the game-day limit of 48.
The Panthers will also be without one of their top corners, as Jaycee Horn suffered a fractured wrist last Saturday against Detroit, an injury that required surgery this week.
BUCCANEERS INACTIVES
· TE Cameron Brate
· CB Carlton Davis
· OLB Carl Nassib
· WR Breshad Perriman
· QB Kyle Trask
Davis and Nassib are out due to injury.
PANTHERS INACTIVES
· DE Amare Barno
· S Juston Burris
· T Larnel Coleman
· WR Rashard Higgins
· CB Jaycee Horn
· C Sam Tecklenburg
Horn is out due to injury.
