Baker Mayfield now has been cleared to return.

@AdamSchefter: Bucs QB Baker Mayfield is being evaluated for a concussion.

Wholesome: Sterling Shepard has just won the player intro competition. ❤️🥹 pic.x.com/3MHXZGL8au

#Bucs WR Mike Evans has 749 yards this season and needs 251 more (about 84 per game) over the final 3 games to hit 1,000 for an NFL-record 11th straight season to start his career. pic.x.com/epEAM0F6Dc

RT: Vita Vea brought the BOOM 📺: #TBvsDAL on NBC/Peacock 📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.x.com/tfwR1lOS0Z

Bucky Irving pulls the Bucs to within three in Dallas with a two-yard touchdown run, his seventh rushing touchdown of the season. That's tied for the second-most rushing TDs by a rookie in team history.

Tight end Cade Otton will miss a game due to injury for the first time in his three-year NFL career. The Bucs, who have made liberal use of two-TE packages in recent weeks, will rely on Payne Durham, Ko Kieft and Devin Culp.

Buccaneers' Week 16 inactives: LB K.J. Britt DL Earnest Brown G Royce Newman TE Cade Otton OLB Jose Ramirez S Antoine Winfield Jr. buccaneers.com/news/bucs-cowb…

Buccaneers safety Kaevon Merriweather is questionable to return to Tampa Bay’s Sunday night matchup against the Dallas Cowboys with an ankle injury. He left the game following a Dallas touchdown late in the second quarter, putting the Cowboys up 20-7 over the Bucs.

Buccaneers S Kaevon Merriweather is Questionable to return to today’s game (knee). pic.twitter.com/XEU9v75KMj

— Buccaneers Communications (@BuccaneersComms) December 23, 2024

The Bucs are already paper thin at safety. Antoine Winfield Jr. is still out with a knee injury, and Jordan Whitehead remains on injured reserve with a pectoral injury. The defense got Mike Edwards back, and Christian Izien remains the last man standing in the secondary