Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Bucs-Bears Inactives: Vita Vea, Ronald Jones Set to Debut

Tampa Bay's first two picks in the 2018 draft, DT Vita Vea and RB Ronald Jones, are active for the first time since the regular season began//

Sep 30, 2018 at 11:13 AM

Scott Smith

Senior Writer/Editor

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chicago Bears named their game-day inactives on Sunday at 11:30 p.m. ET, 90 minutes before kickoff of their Week Four game at Soldier Field. NFL teams are required to reduce their active rosters to 46 players for each regular-season game.

The two most notable names for the Buccaneers regarding their Week Four inactives are ones that are not on the list. Defensive tackle Vita Vea and running back Ronald Jones, Tampa Bay's first two picks in the 2018 draft, are both active for the first time this season.

In Vea's case, that's a matter of overcoming a calf injury that has had him sidelined since early in training camp. He practiced without limits for the first time in more than seven weeks on Friday and is now ready to begin his professional career. Vea's debut is particularly well-timed in that starting defensive tackle Beau Allen will be sidelined for a second straight week due to a foot injury.

Jones has not been injured; rather, the coaching staff has elected to keep fellow rookie back Shaun Wilson up for the first three games, in part due to his role as a kickoff returner. Against Chicago, Jones will have a helmet on while Wilson will be inactive for the first time.

There was some unhappy news among the Buccaneers' Sunday inactives, however. Rookie safety Jordan Whitehead, who was set to take over for Chris Conte after Conte's move to injured reserve, will be held out due to shoulder and hamstring injuries. First-year safety Isaiah Johnson will start in his place.

The Bears are without two of their cornerbacks, including starter Prince Amukamara, the team's leader in passes defensed in 2018. In addition, rookie wide receiver Anthony Miller, a second-round pick, is unavailable due to a shoulder injury suffered in last week's win at Arizona.

BUCCANEERS INACTIVES

· DT Beau Allen

· G Alex Cappa

· QB Ryan Griffin

· OL Michael Liedtke

· DE Noah Spence

· S Jordan Whitehead

· RB Shaun Wilson

Allen, Vea and Williams are out due to injury.

BEARS INACTIVES

· CB Prince Amukamara

· CB Marcus Cooper

· OL Rashaad Coward

· LB Kylie Fitts

· LB Isaiah Irving

· WR Anthony Miller

· DT Nick Williams

Amukamara, Cooper and Miller are out due to injury.

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