Tag: Tampa Bay

Sep 29, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Jordan Whitehead (3) against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Report: Bucs fear torn pec for S Jordan Whitehead

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers fear starting safety Jordan Whitehead tore a pectoral muscle Sunday and will miss the rest of the season, NFL Network reported Monday.

The team is awaiting MRI results to confirm the injury, which occurred during the fourth quarter of the Bucs’ 30-7 road win against the New York Giants.

Whitehead, 27, has started all 11 games since rejoining the Bucs this season, notching 76 tackles and three passes defensed.

He has 554 tackles and 11 interceptions in 104 games (100 starts) with Tampa Bay (2018-21, 2024) and the New York Jets (2022-23). The Buccaneers drafted him in the fourth round in 2018.

A potential replacement is already on the roster after the Bucs claimed veteran safety Mike Edwards off waivers from the Buffalo Bills last week.

The Buccaneers (5-6) are only a game behind the NFC South-leading Atlanta Falcons heading into a Week 13 road game against the Carolina Panthers (3-8).

–Field Level Media

Oct 21, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) is helped off the field by trainers against the Baltimore Ravens in the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Bucs WR Mike Evans expected to return from injury Sunday

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Tampa Bay wide receiver Mike Evans will likely return from a hamstring injury Sunday against the New York Giants, according to Evans and Bucs coach Todd Bowles on Friday.

The franchise’s all-time leading scorer, Evans was diagnosed with a moderate hamstring strain after suffering the injury in the second quarter of a 41-31 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 7. He has missed three games since, tying the longest stretch of absences in his 11-year career.

Evans, 31, will play against the Giants “as long as he’s healthy and fresh,” Bowles said Friday. He was a limited participant in practice Wednesday and Friday but a full participant on Thursday.

However, given that Evans’ Week 7 injury was an aggravation of an existing hamstring injury, he may have a short leash, especially given that Tampa Bay’s top wide receivers are already banged up.

The Bucs are without their No. 2 wide receiver for likely the rest of the season, as Chris Godwin suffered a dislocated left ankle in the same game as Evans’ hamstring injury. Tampa Bay’s No. 3 wide receiver, rookie Jalen McMillan, also suffered a hamstring injury but has fully participated in practice every day this week.

“If he needs to be in there, he’ll be in there,” Bowles said of Evans, “but we’ll get him out when we have to.”

For his part, Evans seems ready to take the field.

“This week definitely built my confidence, and last week, going through all the conditioning I had to do,” Evans said. “I feel really good. Like I said, I feel better than I did going into the Ravens game. I was a little hobbled going into that game. I probably should have sat that one out, but I always try to tough it through. This time off definitely helped me, so I’m confident.”

The Bucs have struggled in Evans’ and Godwin’s absence, losing four straight after a 4-2 start.

“It hurt to see your team out there fighting in really tough, close games that we could have won,” Evans said. “I wish I could (have been) out there to help them. I’m excited for this week.”

In seven games (all starts) this season, Evans has 26 receptions for 335 yards and six TDs.

He jumps back into the lineup as the team’s leader with six touchdown receptions. However, his 10-season streak of 1,000-yard campaigns is in peril. Evans will need to average 95 yards per game in the final seven games.

–Field Level Media

Aug 24, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito (15) jogs off the field following the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

Buccaneers try to end four-game losing streak against host Giants

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With a merciless stretch of the schedule concluded and a bye week to freshen up, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers go on the road Sunday and will attempt to end a four-game losing streak against a New York Giants team either in transition or a freefall.

Tampa Bay (4-6) was two games over .500 and challenging for the NFC South lead a month ago before falling in succession against Baltimore (41-31), Atlanta (31-26), Kansas City (30-24 in overtime) and San Francisco (23-20).

The Giants (2-8) have lost five in a row and are also coming off a bye.

Quarterback Tommy DeVito will make his first start of the season and seventh of his two-year career after the Giants announced the benching of Daniel Jones this week after an overtime loss to the woeful Panthers.

“Tommy Cutlets” has a career passer rating of 89.2, with eight touchdowns and three interceptions. The 2023 undrafted free agent is 3-3 as a starter.

“Those are never easy conversations,” Giants coach Brian Daboll said. “[I’ve] got a lot of respect for all three of those guys. After evaluating a bunch of things and looking at a lot of tape and being around Tommy last year where he created a little bit of a spark for us, that’s the reason why we’re going with Tommy.”

DeVito had been the third-string quarterback but Daboll chose him over backup Drew Lock.

Tampa Bay’s potent offense figures to heap even more pressure on DeVito and running back Tyrone Tracy, who has 545 yards and three rushing touchdowns as the Giants’ only viable option.

Rookie Malik Nabers (607 receiving yards, 3 touchdowns) and Darius Slayton (469, 1) could provide inviting targets for DeVito against a Bucs pass defense that has allowed 20 aerial scores this season, which ranks fifth worst in the NFL.

The Giants, meanwhile, have excelled in red-zone defense and rank second in sacks (36).

Tampa Bay (4-6) is the only team in the NFL to pass for more than 300 yards and rush for 100 more on four different occasions. The Bucs, led by a committee of Bucky Irving (492 yards, four touchdowns), Rachaad White (306; 1) and Sean Tucker (186; 1) have rushed for more than 100 yards seven times.

Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield has been an offensive dynamo. Fourth among Bucs rushers with 192 yards and two scores, he’s third in the NFL in touchdown passes (24), total touchdowns (26) and fifth in passer rating (103.6).

Mayfield could get back a key contributor on Sunday. Wide receiver Mike Evans, who went down with a hamstring injury in Week 7, returned to practice on Wednesday. Evans had 335 yards and six receiving touchdowns before the injury.

Slayton was a full participant on Wednesday as he recovers from a concussion. The wide receiver left the Giants’ Week 9 loss to the Commanders and wasn’t able to gain clearance to travel to the Giants’ Week 10 loss in Germany to the Panthers.

Bucs cornerback Zyon McCollum, who departed the 49ers loss with a hamstring injury, did not practice on Wednesday.

All-Pro left tackle Tristin Wirfs, who sprained an MCL in the loss to the 49ers, worked on the sideline with trainers.

Bucs coach Todd Bowles said it is “going to be close” for both players to play on Sunday.

Giants outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux (wrist) was a limited participant on Wednesday.

–Field Level Media

Oct 21, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin (14) is carted off the field against the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Report: NFL rescinds fine of Ravens’ Roquan Smith for hip-drop tackle

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The NFL rescinded the fine imposed on Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith for the hit he delivered that left Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin with an apparent season-ending ankle injury, ESPN reported Tuesday.

Godwin suffered a dislocated left ankle in the Ravens’ 41-31 victory over the Bucs on Oct. 21. Per reports, the NFL ruled Smith brought down the receiver with an illegal hip-drop tackle.

Smith, 27, was not penalized for the hit during the game but was later fined $16,833 for unnecessary roughness, which the two-time All-Pro appealed.

Godwin, who is set to become a free agent in 2025, had seven receptions for 65 yards in the Week 7 game prior to the injury that occurred with less than a minute to play.

At the time, Godwin had an NFL-leading 50 catches for 576 yards — third most in the league at the time — and five touchdowns in seven games.

The Bucs placed Godwin on injured reserve on Oct. 23, and he underwent surgery on the dislocated ankle the next day. Recovery is expected to take 10-12 weeks, meaning he will miss the entire regular season, though it is possible he could return for the playoffs.

–Field Level Media

Oct 13, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) rushes through the hole during the first half against the Washington Commanders at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Bucs-Ravens a clash of high-powered offenses

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The Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, two of the league’s top offenses, could be headed for a shootout in Tampa in an intriguing Monday night matchup.

The Ravens (4-2) are tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers for first place in the AFC North, while the Buccaneers (4-2) share the NFC South lead with the Atlanta Falcons.

The Buccaneers are scoring 29.7 points per game, tied for second with the Washington Commanders behind the Detroit Lions (30.2). The Ravens are ranked No. 1 with 453.7 yards per game and are averaging 29.5 points, which ranks fourth.

Conversely, the Ravens and Buccaneers have among the worst pass defenses in the league. Baltimore is ranked 31st, allowing 275.7 yards passing, and Tampa Bay is 28th with 252.3 yards per game.

As a result, there could be plenty of scoring at Raymond James Stadium.

“If you can get a lead and you can make somebody one-dimensional, the gym bag is open,” Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said. “You can kind of reach in and pull out anything you want to pull out, those guys start flying around and making plays and you can see the results.”

The Ravens have been dominant against NFC opponents, and the Buccaneers are no exception. Baltimore has won five straight against Tampa Bay after losing the first two meetings dating back to 2001.

Baltimore has an even more formidable running attack this season with the addition of All-Pro Derrick Henry, who leads the NFL in rushing yards (704), attempts (119) and rushing touchdowns (eight) entering this week.

Henry is also the first player since Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson in 2005 with at least one rushing touchdown in each of his team’s first six games.

“He’s one of one,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said about Henry. “Somebody asked me in the (network TV) production meeting this week, ‘Who do you compare him to?’ I’m like, ‘Man, who do you compare him to?’ I saw the Eric Dickerson article. OK, I think there is some similarity. I remember Eric Dickerson coming up, but after that, and even that, I don’t know, man.”

Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson, a two-time NFL Most Valuable Player, is having another MVP-caliber season. Jackson has completed 118 of 176 passes for 1,529 yards with 10 touchdowns and two interceptions. He is also second on the team with 403 yards rushing with two scores.

Jackson is 22-1 against the NFC opponents, the best mark by a quarterback against an opposing conference in NFL history. Jackson is 2-0 against Tampa Bay.

“There’s room for improvement and we just got to keep stacking (wins),” Jackson said.

None of the Ravens’ starters missed practice Thursday, so they should be healthy for the matchup against Tampa Bay. Cornerback Arthur Maulet could make his season debut after dealing with knee and hamstring injuries.

Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield is also having an exceptional season. He is 134-for-189 passing for 1,489 yards and a league-high 15 touchdowns with five interceptions entering Week 7.

Mayfield has had two of the NFL’s elite playmaking wide receivers at his disposal in Chris Godwin and Mike Evans. The Buccaneers rank 11th in averaging 230.3 yards passing per game.

Godwin and Evans entered Week 7 tied for the league lead with five receiving touchdowns apiece. However, Evans was held out of practice Thursday as a precaution because of a hamstring injury, according to the team’s injury report. Tampa Bay All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. is limited with a foot injury.

The Buccaneers’ running attack is led by rookie Bucky Irving, who has 328 rushing yards. However, second-year player Sean Tucker is also emerging as a playmaker and amassed 192 yards of total offense — 136 rushing and 56 receiving — with two touchdowns in a 51-27 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

However, no team has been able to effectively run against the Ravens this season. Baltimore is ranked No. 1, allowing 59.0 yards rushing per game. The team’s stout defensive front seven, led by linemen Nnamdi Madubuike, Travis Jones and Michael Pierce, have been fierce tacklers and dominated opposing offensive lines.

“They’re physical,” Mayfield said of Baltimore’s defense. “They want to be the bully, but they have those guys that set the tone for them on all three levels.”

–Field Level Media

Oct 13, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) runs on the field agains the New Orleans Saints during the first half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Bucs star WR Mike Evans (hamstring) misses practice

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers All-Pro wide receiver Mike Evans missed practice on Thursday because of a hamstring issue.

Head coach Todd Bowles said that Evans “tweaked his leg” and it was a “nagging” issue before the team’s 51-27 victory over the host New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

Evans had left the game in the second quarter and played sparingly afterward, totaling two catches for 34 yards.

Bowles said Evans, 31, is “getting better” and is expected to be back at practice leading up to the team’s next game on Monday night against the visiting Baltimore Ravens.

Evans has started all six games this season and has 25 receptions on 42 targets for 310 yards and a league-leading five touchdown receptions.

He also had been on the injury report with a knee issue before Week 4’s game but played against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Also missing practice on Thursday were cornerback Jamel Dean (hamstring), tight end Payne Durham (calf) and wide receiver Kameron Johnson (ankle). Wide receiver Rakim Jarrett (knee) was designated to return from injured reserve and was limited in practice.

Evans is pursuing Jerry Rice’s record of 11 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in 2024 after hitting that mark in each of his first 10 years with the Bucs. He has started 159 of 160 career regular-season games and has 787 receptions for 11,990 yards and 99 touchdowns.

Tampa Bay selected him seventh overall in the 2014 NFL Draft out of Texas A&M.

A five-time Pro Bowl selection including 2023, when he led the NFL with 13 TD receptions, Evans signed a two-year, $41 million contract in March that includes $29 million guaranteed.

–Field Level Media

Aug 25, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler (18) looks downfield to pass against the Tennessee Titans during the second half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Away from Milton, Bucs focus on Saints, rookie QB Spencer Rattler

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a lot more on their minds besides an NFC South showdown against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday afternoon.

The Bucs (3-2) arrived in New Orleans on Tuesday to avoid the danger from Hurricane Milton and to prepare for the game. They began practicing at Tulane University on Wednesday.

“Overall everything went smoothly,” head coach Todd Bowles said of the evacuation. “We got the team out. We got their families out. We got their pets out and everything else. Family is the most important thing right now. You can replace material things.”

Bowles said most of the players have their families with them in New Orleans.

“That’s a big relief for them and they’re able to focus on football,” Bowles added. “We understand that the things we do in football are a small mechanism in life and how this hurricane is going to affect people, but we’re focused and we’re trying to get ready for a game.”

The Bucs have had extra time to rest and prepare for this contest because their last game, a 36-30 overtime loss at Atlanta, occurred Oct. 3. Tampa Bay had a season-high 160 rushing yards in the game.

“We’ve got to keep that same mindset of establishing the line of scrimmage,” quarterback Baker Mayfield said.

The Bucs had a 24-17 halftime lead but got outscored 19-6 the rest of the way against the Falcons.

“We executed well in the first half,” Mayfield said. “I think we should have had 28 (points) instead of 24. In the second half, we were very close to making some of the plays, but we didn’t and a game like that can shift just like it did.”

The Saints (2-3), on the other hand, have a short week to prepare after losing at Kansas City 26-13 on Monday, which was their third consecutive loss.

Rookie Spencer Rattler, a fifth-round draft choice in April, will start at quarterback for New Orleans in place of Derek Carr, who suffered an oblique injury in the fourth quarter against the Chiefs.

Second-year backup Jake Haener replaced Carr against Kansas City and completed 2 of 7 for 17 yards, but head coach Dennis Allen opted to start Rattler this week and said Carr is “week to week.”

“We talked a lot internally and decided that Spencer gives us the best opportunity to win this particular game,” Allen said. “He has a lot of athletic ability, he can throw the football, he’s accurate and he can create some plays with his feet.”

Allen said Bowles likes to use “exotic blitzes” and he expects that his rookie quarterback will see his “fair share” of them in his regular-season debut.

Carr was one of eight New Orleans starters that missed practice Wednesday. The others were running back Alvin Kamara (hip/hand), tight end Taysom Hill (rib), wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (hip), guard Cesar Ruiz (knee), guard Lucas Patrick (chest), linebacker Pete Werner (hamstring) and safety Will Harris (hamstring).

Tampa Bay had better news on injured starters. Defensive lineman Calijah Kancey (calf), who hasn’t played this season, and offensive tackle Luke Goedeke (concussion), who hasn’t played since Week 1, were both full participants. Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (foot), who hasn’t played since Week 1, was limited.

Three other starters — running back Rachaad White (foot), wide receiver Jalen McMillan (hamstring) and safety Jordan Whitehead (groin) — were limited. Starting center Graham Barton (hamstring) did not practice.

The Bucs are tied with the Falcons for the NFC South lead, one game ahead of the Saints. Atlanta is 1-0 against both of its nearest contenders.

–Field Level Media

Sep 8, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (31) hits Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) in the helment during the first half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Bucs without Antoine Winfield Jr., 4 others vs. Falcons

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers ruled out five players for their NFC South game on Thursday night against the host Atlanta Falcons.

All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (foot) as well as right tackle Luke Goedeke (concussion), defensive tackle Calijah Kancey (calf) and wide receivers Jalen McMillan (hamstring) and Trey Palmer (concussion) will not play in the short week for the Bucs (3-1) against the Falcons (2-2), the team confirmed Wednesday.

“We knew we had a Thursday (game),” Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said after Wednesday morning’s practice. “I’m sure it makes it harder for the guys that wanted to play that could’ve played if it were probably Sunday — a couple of them. But we’ll go with what we’ve got, we’ve been going with what we’ve got. We’ve got guys that stepped up, they’ve got to step up again.”

Goedeke was listed as a limited participant on Monday and Tuesday, while the other four did not practice.

Winfield, 26, and Goedeke, 25, started in the season-opening victory over the Washington Commanders. Winfield made seven tackles and neither missed a snap on their sides of the line. They will miss their fourth straight game.

Rookie McMillan, 22, started the first three games before missing the 33-16 victory over the host Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. He has three receptions on six targets for 59 yards and one touchdown.

Palmer, 23, has played in four games (one start) and has four receptions on six targets for 45 yards and one TD.

Kancey, 23, started all 14 games he played as a rookie for Tampa Bay in 2023 and had 26 tackles, including 10 tackles for loss and four sacks. He has not played in a game this season.

The Buccaneers are also placing linebacker SirVocea Dennis (shoulder) on injured reserve, Bowles said. Dennis, 24, has 22 tackles, including one sack, in four games as a reserve this season.

–Field Level Media

Sep 22, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) throws a pass against the Denver Broncos in the fourth quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Pass rushes key as Eagles visit Buccaneers

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have surrendered 12 sacks while recording none of their own in their past two games.

Flipping that script could be critical to Sunday’s result as the Philadelphia Eagles visit Tampa, Fla., for a battle of 2-1 teams.

Baker Mayfield was sacked seven times in last weekend’s stunning 26-7 home loss to the previously winless Denver Broncos. For the second straight week, he threw for fewer than 200 yards and tossed an interception.

Tampa Bay enters Week 4 ranked 26th in the NFL in total offense and 27th in rushing, but Mayfield refused to place all the blame for his dirty uniform on the offensive line.

“There were a few pressures this week that were actually on me,” Mayfield said. “There’s a mindset of trying to fix the protections when they’re bringing some of these pressures, and there’s also a mindset to snap the ball and get it out of your hands.

“Not all of that is on the O-line.”

The last time Philadelphia visited Raymond James Stadium, Mayfield threw for 337 yards and three touchdowns in a 32-9 wild-card playoff victory on Jan. 15 of this year.

The Eagles sacked Mayfield four times in that loss — the same number their pass rush has generated through three games this year.

Philadelphia sacked Atlanta’s Kirk Cousins only once in a last-minute 22-21 loss at home in Week 2, then took down Derek Carr only once in a last-minute 15-12 win at New Orleans in Week 3.

Second-year Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter is still looking for his first sack of the season, but he shined against the Saints with four tackles (two for losses), two batted passes and a quarterback hit.

“Obviously, this past game was his best game by far,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. “And hopefully that will set the trend moving forward. I don’t know what actually triggered it, other than he, and we as a D-Line unit, didn’t play good in the previous game. So I’m sure that had something to do with it.”

The headliners for this contest on offense include Eagles running back Saquon Barkley and Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin.

Barkley leads the NFL in rushing (351 yards) and is tied for the lead in touchdowns from scrimmage (five) through his first three games with Philadelphia. Godwin already has 21 catches and has scored touchdowns in all three games.

Including the playoffs, Tampa Bay has won five of the past six meetings dating back to 2015.

Both teams are keeping an eye on injuries and the weather, with Tropical Storm Helene expected to reach hurricane strength before striking Florida’s Gulf Coast on Thursday night.

Eagles star receiver A.J. Brown (hamstring) still wasn’t practicing Wednesday after missing the last two games. No. 2 wideout DeVonta Smith and right tackle Lane Johnson are both in concussion protocol, while right guard Mekhi Becton (finger) and left guard Landon Dickerson (wrist) were listed as limited participants.

Defensive lineman Calijah Kancey (calf) and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (foot) did not practice for the Buccaneers on Wednesday. Limited participants included defensive tackle Vita Vea (knee), left tackle Tristan Wirfs (knee), rookie running back Bucky Irving (hamstring) and wideouts Godwin (neck) and Mike Evans (knee).

–Field Level Media

Aug 17, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) drops back to pass against the Miami Dolphins during the first quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

New-look Commanders could pose challenge to Buccaneers

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Quarterback Jayden Daniels will make his professional debut on Sunday afternoon when the visiting Washington Commanders face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the season opener for both teams.

Daniels, the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft, beat out veteran Marcus Mariota to land the starting job.

“We knew we would get here, but we were just excited to see how we would,” Washington coach Dan Quinn said of the rapid development he saw from Daniels. “So, seeing him hit all the spots, this is a rare competitor, and those are the things that I knew about him.”

While the Commanders didn’t show off Daniels all that much this preseason, Tampa Bay coach Todd Bowles has a general idea of what the Buccaneers will be dealing with on Sunday.

“He can beat you with his legs or his arm,” Bowles said of Daniels. “He was taken that high for a reason.”

Daniels is aware that there will be challenges in his debut, and he knows that he will have to adjust on the fly.

“It’s not gonna be a finished product Week 1, but just try to get better and go out there and go through some growing pains,” Daniels said. “You’re a rookie. You’re not gonna have everything perfect.”

Quinn is also a newcomer, taking over at the helm after serving as the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive coordinator from 2021-23. He will be trying to help Washington get back on track after the Commanders went just 4-13 last season.

It’s been a different story for Tampa Bay, which has won three straight NFC South titles.

Last season’s success was fueled by former No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield, who completed 64.3 percent of his passes for 4,044 yards and 28 touchdowns — all career bests.

There have been some changes for the Buccaneers, though, as Liam Coen took over as offensive coordinator for Dave Canales, who is now the coach of the Carolina Panthers. Tampa Bay also has a new center in rookie Graham Barton, a first-round draft pick out of Duke.

Barton has been taking the time to scout the Commanders’ defensive line as he prepares for his NFL debut.

“A lot of respect for what I’ve seen so far of them on tape,” Barton said. “It’s going to present a unique challenge for us, but I think we’re ready.”

The Buccaneers’ offense does still feature star wideout Mike Evans, who was tied with the Miami Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill for the most touchdown receptions (13) in the league last season. Evans had 79 catches for 1,255 yards.

Even with Mayfield and Evans leading the way, putting up points against Washington could be tough due to Quinn’s defensive background. The Commanders also got some reinforcements this offseason, bringing in linebacker Frankie Luvu and safety Jeremy Chinn.

“They’ve got some talented players up there,” Bowles said. “I’ll probably be saying this every week. We don’t play any scrubs anymore. … It’s going to be a tough challenge. We know they’re a tough bunch.”

Defensive lineman Logan Hall (foot) and kicker Chase McLaughlin (abdomen/illness) did not practice for Tampa Bay on Wednesday.

Offensive tackle Trent Scott (knee) was one of four Commanders who were limited during Wednesday’s practice.

–Field Level Media