The Bucs are heading into a pivotal Week 16 matchup with something you rarely see this late in an NFL season: a completely clean injury report. That’s right - not a single player has been ruled out, questionable, or even tagged with an injury designation heading into Sunday’s showdown with the Panthers. For a team that’s battled through its fair share of bumps and bruises this year, this is about as good as it gets.
The only real question mark going into the weekend was veteran linebacker and team captain Lavonte David. He was limited in practice on both Thursday and Friday, but the Bucs clearly feel confident in his availability - no injury designation means he’s good to go. That’s a big deal for a defense that leans heavily on his leadership and instincts in the middle of the field.
But it’s not just about who’s healthy - it’s also about who’s back. Tampa Bay will welcome back three key contributors who missed last week’s Thursday night game: safety Tykee Smith, linebacker SirVocea Dennis, and tight end Cade Otton.
All three were full participants in practice and are expected to suit up on Sunday. That’s a boost on both sides of the ball, especially with Otton’s role as a reliable target in the passing game and Smith’s versatility in the secondary.
Here’s how the Bucs’ injury report looked on Friday:
Bucs Friday Injury Report (All Full Participants):
- **Chris Godwin Jr.
** (Fibula/Rest)
- Cade Otton (Knee)
- Tykee Smith (Neck/Shoulder)
- Rashad Wisdom (Quad)
That’s a clean slate at the right time, especially with the Bucs and Panthers both sitting at 7-7 and jockeying for playoff positioning. Every healthy body matters in December.
As for the Panthers, they’re not quite as fortunate. Carolina will be without a couple of contributors and has a few others carrying injury concerns into the weekend:
Panthers Friday Injury Report:
- Trevin Wallace (Shoulder) - Limited Participation - Out
- Turk Wharton (Hamstring) - Did Not Participate - Out
- Ikem Ekwonu (Knee) - Limited Participation - Questionable
- David Moore (Elbow) - Full Participation - Questionable
- Jaycee Horn (Rest) - Full Participation
- Damien Lewis (Illness) - Full Participation
- Tetairoa McMillan (Foot/Ankle) - Full Participation
The absence of Wallace and Wharton takes a bite out of Carolina’s depth, particularly on defense. And while Ekwonu and Moore are trending in the right direction, their statuses will be worth monitoring up until kickoff.
Bottom line: the Bucs are rolling into this weekend as healthy as they’ve been all season - and with the NFC South still up for grabs, timing couldn’t be better.