Todd Bowles Comments On Star Commanders Players Ahead of Week 1 Matchup

The Buccaneers head coach had some strong praise for a couple of Commanders players.

Jul 25, 2024; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles during training camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The weekend is almost here, and that means that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2024 regular season is just days away from getting kicked off. The Bucs will open up their 2024 season at home when they play host to rookie sensation Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders from Raymond James Stadium on Sunday evening.

There is plenty that goes into each matchup in an NFL game, but with so much newness to have to pay attention to when it comes to the Commanders in 2024, there are two likely studs that stand on either side of the ball that the Bucs will want to make sure that they know where they are on the field before the ball is snapped.

READ MORE: Through The Spyglass: Buccaneers vs Commanders

Those two players are none other than standout wide receiver Terry McLaurin and future Hall of Fame linebacker Bobby Wagner.

The two guys that can likely change the outcome at any given moment for the Commanders are these two. They both have elite levels of ability and also possess a great wealth of knowledge on how the game is supposed to be played.

When speaking with the local Tampa Bay media following practice, Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles gave his thoughts on both of the Commanders' playmakers.

"He's elite. He's always been elite, for me."

- Todd Bowles, Buccaneers Head Coach

"He's elite. He's always been elite, for me," Bowles said of WR Terry McLaurin. "Just watching him play, the way he gets off the ball, the way he gets in and out of routes, the way his catch radius is, the way he fights for the ball – he's an outstanding receiver. I don't think he's overlooked by a lot of people that [are] in the league at all."

READ MORE: 2024 Buccaneers Captains Revealed

"Besides his playmaking ability, he's extremely intelligent."

- Todd Bowles, Buccaneers Head Coach

"Besides his playmaking ability, he's extremely intelligent," Bowles said of LB Bobby Wagner. "There's probably not an offensive play he hasn't seen or he hasn't dissected. He can really breathe confidence into a defense because of his communication and the way he plays."

There isn't much riding on the results of a Week 1 win or loss, but both teams would like to start the year hot and set the trend for the rest of the season. For the Buccaneers to win the matchup, they will undoubtedly be paying very close attention to what both McLaurin and Wagner will be doing on their respective sides of the ball.

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