5 questionable Buccaneers players expected to play vs. Commanders
01/12/2025 11:59 AM
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers get their playoff run underway on Sunday night against the Washington Commanders in a matchup between two somewhat surprising playoff teams. The Commanders were supposed to be rebuilding this season while the Buccaneers had to fight injuries and defensive regression to come back and steal the NFC South.
Now, the two will face off in Tampa Bay with a spot in the Divisional Round on the line. There is some good news for the Buccaneers coming into the game, as they are expected to get some key starters back from injury after uncertain updates all week long, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
“Five Buccaneers – TE Cade Otton, S Antoine Winfield Jr., Mike Edwards, CB Jamel Dean, DE Logan Hall – are listed as questionable for tonight's game vs. Washington; all are expected to play, per sources,” Schefter reported on X, formerly Twitter.
Winfield Jr., Edwards and Dean will all be back to help a secondary that has been one of the most banged up units in the NFL this season. The Buccaneers will need all hands on deck in the back end against Jayden Daniels and a very explosive Commanders passing game that is very difficult to stop. The return of Otton also gives Baker Mayfield one of his favorite targets over the middle, so the Buccaneers will be in good shape on Sunday night.
Buccaneers’ secondary getting healthy at the right time
The Buccaneers’ defense has taken a massive step back for much of this season after being one of the best units in the NFL a year ago. Instead, it has been the offense that has carried Tampa Bay to another NFC South title and a playoff berth.
Natural regression has played a large part in that’d decline from the Buccaneers on defense, but injuries have also taken their toll as well. The secondary has been especially banged up for a large part of the season, but they are now getting healthy at the right time.
Star safety Antoine Winfield Jr. is expected to play on Sunday night, giving the Buccaneers arguably their best player on that side of the ball back in the lineup. Winfield is a huge asset against both the run and the pass, and the Buccaneers will need him in order to stop this explosive Commanders passing game.
Jamel Dean is also back on the outside, which is huge for Tampa Bay. Having all off their starting corners on the field is key for the Buccaneers to send all of the exotic pressures that they have become known for under Todd Bowles. They have struggled to do that this season after Carlton Davis departed in free agency, but getting Dean back is a step in the right direction on that front.
Overall, this Buccaneers defense is now getting healthier after a troubling season, but they still have the pieces to be very dangerous and a tough out for anybody in the NFC.
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