The Tampa Bay Buccaneers ruled five players out for their Week 11 game in Buffalo on Friday, but two key defenders who were on the injury report during the week are ready to suit up on Sunday. Nose tackle Vita Vea and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. were limited in two of the Buccaneers' three practices this week but are in the lineup against the Bills.
Running Bucky Irving and wide receiver Chris Godwin are among the five players ruled out on Friday, as both will extend their prolonged absences by at least one more game despite returning to the practice field this week. Irving hasn't played since Week Four due to foot and shoulder ailments while Godwin has been sidelined since Week Five due to a fibula injury.
In addition, starting left guard Ben Bredeson is out after suffering a hamstring injury against the Patriots last Sunday and outside linebacker Haason Reddick will miss his third straight contest due to knee and ankle ailments.
The Buccaneers and Bills submitted their list of inactives at 11:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, 90 minutes before the scheduled kickoff of their Week 11 meeting at Highmark Stadium in Buffalo. The Buccaneers elevated linebacker Nick Jackson and outside linebacker Mohamed Kamara from their practice squad for the game and thus had to name seven inactives to get down to the game-day limit of 48. The Bills elevated wide receiver Gabe Davis and TE Keleki Latu from their practice squad and also had to name seven inactives.
The Bills offense will be missing its top tight end Dalton Kincaid, who is out with a hamstring injury. Kincaid ranks third on the team with 29 catches for 448 yards and four touchdowns, and he is averaging a robust 15.4 yards per reception. The Bills have also chosen to make wide receiver Keon Coleman a healthy scratch.
The Buffalo defense did get some reinforcements, however, as rookie defensive tackle T.J. Sanders, a second-round draft pick who has been on injured reserve in Week Five, was activated to the 53-man roster on Saturday and is cleared to return for Sunday's game against the Bucs.
BUCCANEERS INACTIVES
- G Ben Bredeson
- DL C.J. Brewer
- WR Chris Godwin Jr.
- RB Bucky Irving
- G Elijah Klein
- OLB Haason Reddick
- OLB Markees Watts
Bredeson, Godwin, Irving, Reddick and Watts are out due to injury.
BILLS INACTIVES
- WR Keon Coleman
- CB Ja'Marcus Ingram
- TE Dalton Kincaid
- T Chase Lundt
- DT Phidarian Mathis
- WR Elijah Moore
- LB Shaq Thompson
Kincaid, Mathis and Thompson are out due to injury.
