The Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn't have two of their three starting cornerbacks at practice all week, but all three are available and active for Sunday's game against the New York Jets. Jamel Dean and Sean Murphy-Bunting, both of whom spent most of the week on the reserve/COVID-19 list, were activated on Saturday and subsequently flew separately from the team to make it to MetLife Stadium and join Carlton Davis for the game.
On the other hand, the Buccaneers are without both of their starting outside linebackers, as Shaquil Barrett (knee) and Jason Pierre-Paul (shoulder) were ruled out on Friday. Rookie Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and third-year man Anthony Nelson are expected to start in their place, with Cam Gill as depth at the position. Cornerback Richard Sherman is also out due to an Achilles tendon injury.
The Buccaneers had three receivers listed as questionable on Friday's injury report but only one of them, special teams ace Justin Watson, is inactive for Sunday's contest. Both Antonio Brown and Mike Evans have been cleared to play. In addition, safety Antoine Winfield, Jr., who has missed the last two games with a foot injury and was also considered questionable, is active for the game.
Tampa Bay and New York each submitted a list of inactive players at 11:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, 90 minutes before the scheduled kickoff of their Week 17 game at MetLife Stadium. The Buccaneers came into the game with 55 players on the active roster after elevating four from the practice squad on Saturday. That means Tampa Bay had to name seven players inactive in order to get down to the game limit of 48 on Sunday.
The Jets will be without wide receiver Jamison Crowder, who leads the team with 50 catches but has been sidelined by a calf injury. With Corey Davis on season-ending injured reserve and rookie Elijah Moore not making it back from injured reserve or the COVID list in time for Sunday's game, the Jets are without their three leading receivers in terms of yards.
BUCCANEERS INACTIVES
- OLB Shaquil Barrett
- CB Dee Delaney
- OLB Jason Pierre-Paul
- OLB Elijah Ponder
- CB Richard Sherman
- QB Kyle Trask
- WR Justin Watson
Barrett, Pierre-Paul, Sherman and Watson are out due to injury.
JETS INACTIVES
- WR Jamison Crowder
- CB Isaiah Dunn
- DL Shaq Lawson
- RB La'Mical Perine
- LB Javin White
- QB Mike White
Crowder is out due to injury.
