The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will have their top offensive weapon available for Sunday’s showdown with the Carolina Panthers, along with, well, everybody else.
Mike Evans didn’t practice Thursday, dealing with a collarbone injury that caused him to miss almost two months earlier in the season.
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But Evans was a full-go Friday, so there’s no reason to think he won’t play Sunday.
Evans is the best receiver in Bucs history, and if not for a variety of injuries that led to him missing nine of the team’s first 13 games, there’s a good chance he’d be going after Jerry Rice’s record of consecutive 1,000-yard seasons (Evans and Rice are tied with 11).
Even in Tampa’s embarrassing loss to the Falcons last Thursday night, Evans was a star, ending the night with 132 yards on six catches.
But because Tampa lost that game, this contest at Carolina is a battle for first place in the NFC South, with both coming in at 7-7.
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Not only is Evans good to go, but this should be an all-hands-on-deck type of day for the Bucs.
Here’s the full injury report for both teams.
Although star linebacker Lavonte David either didn’t practice or was limited all week, he has no injury designation, which apparently means the Bucs expect him to play.
Bucs-Panthers is scheduled to begin at 1.
TAMPA BAY
LB Lavonte David (knee) – DNP (Wed.), LP (Thurs.), LP (Friday)
WR Mike Evans (collarbone/rest) – LP (Wed.), DNP (Thurs.), FP (Friday)
TE Cade Otton (knee) – LP (Wed.), FP (Thurs.), FP (Friday)
LB SirVocea Dennis (hip) – FP (Wed.), FP (Thurs.), FP (Friday)
WR Chris Godwin Jr. (fibula/rest) – FP (Wed.), DNP (Thurs.), FP (Friday)
S Tykee Smith (neck/shoulder) – FP (Wed.), FP (Thurs.), FP (Friday)
S Rashad Wisdom (quad) – FP (Wed.), FP (Thurs.), FP (Friday)
CAROLINA
T Ikem Ekwonu (Questionable)
G Damien Lewis (illness) – DNP (Wed.), LP (Thurs.), FP (Friday)
WR Tetairoa McMillan (foot/ankle) – DNP (Wed.), FP (Thurs.), FP (Friday)
CB Jaycee Horn (rest) – LP (Wed.), FP (Thurs.), FP (Friday)
T Taylor Moton (back) – LP (Wed.), LP (Thurs.), FP (Friday)
WR David Moore (Questionable)