The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced on Friday that Donald Penn, the team’s starting left tackle, has been removed from the active/non-football-injury (NFI) list.  Penn can begin practicing with the team immediately.

The Buccaneers placed Penn on the NFI list just before the start of training camp due to a calf injury he had sustained in a workout in California.  Because he was on the “active” NFI list and not the “reserve” list, he was eligible to come off it at any time.  Friday’s maneuver obviously means that Penn’s recovery has proceeded as rapidly as expected.

Penn will not play in the Buccaneers’ preseason game against the Tennessee Titans on Friday night.  However, his removal from the NFI list makes it possible for him to get in some action in the second half of the preseason before the regular-season opener against Carolina on September 9.

Penn has started 76 consecutive games at left tackle for the Buccaneers, a streak dating back to the 2007 season.  It is the second longest active streak among current Buccaneers behind Ronde Barber’s run of 199 consecutive starts.  Penn is one of three players on Tampa Bay’s starting offensive line that has been voted into the Pro Bowl, along with guards Davin Joseph and Carl Nicks.