It's been a long season of watching players rotate in and out of the injury report, but for the first time the Tampa Bay Buccaneers bring an almost fully healthy roster into Sunday.
Last week was the first time that Mike Evans, Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin, and Bucky Irving were all on the field together at the same time. Injuries have bogged the offensive operation down so much that Week 15 was the first true look at what a fully operational attack could look like.
Unfortunately, that still didn't matter, as the Bucs blew a 14-point lead and lost to the Falcons. It's the way the team lost that should have them fired up to come out blazing against Carolina and finally look like the team we know they can be.
Fans have waited all season for this, and here's to hoping it was all worth the wait.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers inactives for Week 16 vs. Panthers
Here's everyone who won't be active for the Bucs today in Charlotte:
Player | Position | Injury |
|---|---|---|
Sterling Shepard | WR | |
Elijah Klein | OL | Healthy Scratch |
Devin Culp | TE | Healthy Scratch |
Elijah Simmons | DL | Healthy Scratch |
Anthony Walker | LB | Healthy Scratch |
Rashad Wisdom | S | Healthy Scratch |
Connor Bazelak | QB | Emergency 3rd String |
Not everyone is suiting up for the Bucs, but this is as healthy as the Bucs have been all season. Evans, Godwin, Egbuka, and Irving are all ready to go, with Lavonte David expected to play as well.
David was the only question mark all week, as he missed practice and it seemed firmly on the fence whether he'd be ready to play. We'll see how much work he ends up getting, but he's active and the defense is better for it just based on that alone.
Jamel Dean has also been in and out of the lineup with injuries this season, but he'll be on the field as well. The Bucs will need him, too, as he's seemingly returned to an All-Pro level and has proven to be a key piece of the secondary.
For as much gruff as he's gotten over the last few seasons for his subpar play, it's noticeable in a very negative way when Dean isn't on the field. If the Bucs want to stop Bryce Young, Dean will be a big part of that.