It remains to be seen how many of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' regulars will play on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, and for how long, but at least the secondary has a key starter available for action. Cornerback Jamel Dean considered questionable for the regular-season finale, has been cleared to suit up against the Falcons.
That secondary will be missing cornerback Carlton Davis and safety Logan Ryan, two of five players the Buccaneers ruled out on Friday's injury report. The other three are outside linebacker Carl Nassib, tackle Donovan Smith and defensive lineman Vita Vea. In addition, safety Mike Edwards, who was listed as questionable, will be held out. Sean Murphy-Bunting is available to fill in for Davis for the second week in a row and Brandon Walton is likely to draw the start at left tackle in place of Smith. When Vea sat out the team's Week 15 and 16 games, Rakeem Nunez-Roches started at nose tackle.
The Buccaneers kept three quarterbacks active for the game for just the second time this season. On the first occasion, in Week Eight against Baltimore, the team had seven injured players who couldn't suit up so second-year passer Kyle Trask was active by default, though he did not play in the game. This time, Trask has a chance to play if the Buccaneers remove Tom Brady from the game at some point and see enough from his primary reserve, Blaine Gabbert.
The Buccaneers and Falcons submitted their list of inactives at 11:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, 90 minutes before the scheduled kickoff of their Week 18 matchup at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The Buccaneers elevated outside linebacker Ifeadi Odenigbo and tackle Justin Skule from the practice squad and thus had to name seven players inactive to get down to the game-day limit of 48.
The Falcons will be without left guard Elijah Wilkinson, who is out due to a calf injury. Matt Hennessy started in Wilkinson's place last weekend. TE Feleipe Franks, who was on the injury report due to a concussion, has also been ruled out.
BUCCANEERS INACTIVES
· CB Carlton Davis
· S Mike Edwards
· WR Julio Jones
· OLB Carl Nassib
· S Logan Ryan
· T Donovan Smith
· DL Vita Vea
All seven Buccaneers inactives are out due to injury.
FALCONS INACTIVES
· S Micah Abernathy
· OLB David Anenih
· DL Jalen Dalton
· CB Rashad Fenton
· TE Feleipe Franks
· OL Elijah Wilkinson
Franks and Wilkinson are out due to injury.
