The Bucs received some good news on Saturday when outside linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul was given medical clearance to play in games from the team medical staff, which prompted Tampa Bay to activate him from the Non-Football Injury List. Pierre-Paul will play on Sunday in Tennessee against the Titans just six months after fracturing his neck in an automobile accident in May.

Pierre-Paul returned to practice during the bye week where he worked with coaches and trainers before testing his neck, which didn’t need surgery, by banging heads with offensive linemen and tight ends in practice this past week.

“The one thing about the guy – he’s always in shape,” Bucs head coach Bruce Arians said. “It’s amazing. He’s absolutely amazing.”

Bucs OLB Jason Pierre-Paul – Photo by: Mary Holt/PR

The 29-year old Pierre-Paul led the Bucs with 12.5 sacks a year ago, and is expected to aid Tampa Bay’s pass rush, which has recorded just two sacks in the last two games. The 6-foot-5, 270-pound Pierre-Paul is expected to play as a designated pass rusher as an outside linebacker or inside as a defensive lineman in nickel pass rush situations, which was a role he also played last year.

Because of the hot start by outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett, who had nine sacks and three forced fumbles in September when he was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Month, teams have been going to max protect schemes against the Bucs to create double teams against Barrett. It’s worked as Barrett has been held without a sack for the past two games.

Pierre-Paul’s presence can help because team’s will have to pick their poison – slide protection towards Barrett and leave Pierre-Paul with a one-on-one, or double-team Pierre-Paul and leave Barrett singled up at the line of scrimmage.