The Bucs have released their week eight inactives report ahead of their divisional matchup against the New Orleans Saints. And with the one big question that was looming has finally been answered.

Nose tackle Vita Vea will play today.

Vea, who showed up on the injury report with a recurring foot injury that kept him out of practice on Thursday and Friday, was a gameday decision. The Bucs have determined he is healthy enough to play today and are hoping he can help them get to 2-0 in divisional play. His presence is important as the team has already lost fellow starting defensive tackle Calijah Kancey for the regular season with a pectoral injury.

Past Vea, the rest of the players out due to injury were already announced by head coach Todd Bowles on Friday. Wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. will miss his third consecutive game and sixth of the season means the Bucs will have to lean on rookies Emeka Egbuka and Tez Johnson, along with veteran Sterling Shepard once again.

Bucs WR Chris Godwin Jr. – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Bucs OLB Haason Reddick

Haason Reddick joins Chris Godwin Jr. on the inactives list due to injury. It will be the first game this year he will miss and would have stung that much more if Vita Vea couldn’t go. The Bucs will ask Anthony Nelson to step into the starting lineup in his stead with further contributions from a pair of 2024 draft classmates Chris Braswell and Mo Kamara. As Pewter Report’s Bailey Adams pointed out, Nelson has a history of stepping up in these situations.

Bucs RB Bucky Irving

Bucky Irving, who has long been ascribed to a post-bye week return is once again out with shoulder and foot injuries. Rachaad White has been a solid fill-in, especially in pass protection, but he lacks the explosive playmaking ability that Irving provides. This could also mark the first time the Bucs give a more extended look to Sean Tucker this season as he had an incredible game in New Orleans last year, tallying 192 total yards and two touchdowns week six last year.

The remainder of the inactives are made up of backups with most serving as healthy scratches. Here is the entire Bucs inactives list along with who is out for the Saints.

Inactives for #TBvsNO ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/nZZOtzfNxg

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) October 26, 2025

Week 8 Inactives:

S Ugo Amadi
CB Rejzohn Wright
DT Jonah Williams
OL Xavier Truss
TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden
DT Khristian Boyd#Saints | @LaMachinery https://t.co/qbf7arTc5J

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) October 26, 2025