The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are looking for significant contributions from their rookie class, which consists of seven players who all made the 53-man roster following the 2026 NFL Draft.
This year, the team has undergone considerable changes, especially on defense, with new additions like Rueben Bain Jr. and Al-Quadin Muhammad for edge rushing, A'Shawn Robinson and Rakeem Nunez-Roches for the defensive line, and Keionte Scott for the secondary.
A notable transformation occurred in the inside linebackers unit, where the Bucs have brought in Alex Anzalone as a starter and added Christian Rozeboom for depth. With the retirement of veteran Lavonte David, the team is seeking a second starter to pair with Anzalone. Rookie linebacker Josiah Trotter, drafted in the second round, is competing for that position against incumbent SirVocea Dennis.
Head coach Todd Bowles hinted at Trotter's potential starting role during a media session, stating that Trotter is making a strong case for the job. Although Bowles did not confirm Trotter's starting status, he acknowledged the rookie's impressive performance in training camp and the preseason, stating, "We'll see next week how [Dennis] goes along, but [Trotter is] making a hell of a case."
Trotter has demonstrated the skills necessary to be an effective MIKE linebacker, showing strong blitzing ability and a knack for reading plays in the run game. Bowles recently remarked that the inside linebacker room is the most improved unit on the team, partly due to Trotter's contributions.
