The Bucs have a lot of players injured that we all closely monitored during the week. There were starters who practiced every day, there were starters that didn’t practice at all, and there were others that were in for one day and out for another.

Bucs RT Tristan Wirfs – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

On offense, the tackle position was of important interest. Tristan Wirfs reaggravated his ankle injury and Donovan Smith did not play last game because of a foot issue.

Defensively, Carlton Davis did not practice all week with a shoulder injury, meanwhile Jamel Dean (toe) did practice all week despite missing the last two. You also have Vita Vea (calf) and Carl Nassib (pectoral) working their way back from injury while Rakeem Nunez-Roches (personal) and Anthony Nelson (illness) also missed time this week.

So when the time came on Friday to announce which players were definitively out for Sunday’s crucial game against the Carolina Panthers, we heard something that hasn’t be said in a long, long time.

None. Zilch. Nada. Zero. No one.

That’s correct. Bowles isn’t ruling out anybody for a game where the Bucs can clinch the NFC South division.

Don’t entirely get your hopes up just yet, Bucs fans. A lot of these players, especially Smith and Vea, are going to be game-time decisions. Bowles mentioned that “they’ll see on Sunday” for the two aforementioned players.

Bucs OLB Carl Nassib – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

With that said, Bowles only officially listed two players as questionable – Carlton Davis and Carl Nassib.

Davis has been healthy for a majority of the season, only missing Weeks 7 and 8. Coincidentally, that was when the Bucs lost to the Panthers. He’s been playing really well as of late in highly touted matchups against receivers Ja’Marr Chase and DeAndre Hopkins. Davis was out all week with the shoulder problem.

Nassib has missed the last two weeks with a pectoral injury. He was running individually in that time but was at least able to practice with his teammates this week. Fellow outside linebackers Anthony Nelson and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka have really taken on the responsibility of a light OLB room by playing 100 percent of the snaps over the last two games.

As the injury report comes out, it looks like David and Nassib are doubtful to play with many others questionable. Here is Friday’s injury report.

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After coming back to beat the Cardinals 19-16 in overtime on Christmas night last Sunday, the Bucs are set to host the Panthers in Week 17 for a matchup that will be for first place in the NFC South. Below is the injury report from Thursday, which included some big names on both sides.

Bucs

CB Carlton Davis – Shoulder – Did Not Participate – Doubtful

OLB Carl Nassib – Pectoral – Limited Participation – Doubtful

CB Jamel Dean – Toe – Limited Participation – Questionable

S Mike Edwards – Hamstring – Limited Participation – Questionable

WR Julio Jones – Knee – Limited Participation – Questionable

T Donovan Smith – Foot – Limited Participation – Questionable

NT Vita Vea – Calf – Limited Participation – Questionable

S Antoine Winfield Jr. – Ankle – Limited Participation – Questionable

QB Tom Brady – Rest – Full Participation

LB Lavonte David – Rest – Did Not Participate

DT Akiem Hicks – Rest – Did Not Participate

OLB Anthony Nelson – Illness – Full Participation

NT Rakeem Nunez-Roches – Personal – Full Participation

TE Cade Otton – Quadriceps – Full Participation

T Tristan Wirfs – Ankle – Full Participation