The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers named their game-day inactives on Sunday at 11:30 p.m. ET, 90 minutes before kickoff of their Week Nine game at Bank of America Stadium. NFL teams are required to reduce their active rosters to 46 players for each regular-season game.
The Buccaneers had two questionable players on their Friday injury report, both of them defensive linemen and both of them starters, and both have been cleared to play against the Panthers. Defensive end Vinny Curry and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy will be back in action after missing the last two games due to ankle and calf injuries, respectively. With starting defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul overcoming shoulder and rib injuries to play, as well, the Buccaneers will be as deep on the D-Line as they have been all season.
The Bucs will not have rookie running back Ronald Jones, however, as the hamstring injury he suffered last week will keep him out. That means that fellow rookie back Shaun Wilson will be active for the first time since Week Three. M.J. Stewart, the team's main nickel back, is also out due to a foot injury and offensive lineman Evan Smith will sit out for the first time this year due to a hip ailment.
Carolina's Week Nine injury situation is less complicated. The Panthers will be without wide receiver Torrey Smith for a second straight week, which likely means more action for rookie D.J. Moore, the team's 2018 first-round draft pick.
BUCCANEERS INACTIVES
· G Alex Cappa
· QB Ryan Griffin
· DE Demone Harris
· RB Ronald Jones
· DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches
· G Evan Smith
· CB M.J. Stewart
Jones, Smith and Stewart are out due to injury.
PANTHERS INACTIVES
· RB Cameron Artis-Payne
· CB Josh Hawkins
· DE Marquis Haynes
· G Brendan Mahon
· G Amini Silatolu
· LB Andre Smith
· WR Torrey Smith
Smith is out due to injury.
