While the Tampa Bay Buccaneers built for the future at wide receiver in the NFL Draft, questions remain for the biggest characteristic of head coach Todd Bowles‘ defense.
Buccaneers insider Jenna Laine of ESPN questions if the team did “enough to address their needs on defense” in the draft and free agency. Bowles, who has been with the team since 2019, has helped the Buccaneers rank in the top 13 of the league for points and/or yards allowed annually since 2020.
That changed in 2024 when the Buccaneers finished 16th in points allowed and 18th in yards allowed. Injuries played a role last year, but upgrades at multiple positions this offseason was clear.
“The Bucs wisely doubled up on cornerbacks and pass rushers, but they weren’t able to address inside linebacker,” Laine wrote. “It wasn’t a great draft class at that position, but the role is an important one in Todd Bowles’ defense.”
“SirVocea Dennis is coming off shoulder surgery, and 2025 could be veteran Lavonte David‘s final season,” Laine added. “They did sign Anthony Walker Jr. in free agency, and they brought back former Pro Bowl player Deion Jones, who came on late in the season.”
David notably led the team in tackles with 122, and he was third on the team for sacks with 5.5 in 2024. Walker had 68 tackles, a sack, and an interception last year for the Miami Dolphins, but Jones is two years removed from the last season where he had more than 40 tackles and a sack in a season.
Buccaneers Have Few Options Among Free Agent Inside Linebackers
GettyFormer Dallas Cowboys linebacker Eric Kendricks could be a target for the Buccaneers.
A few veteran inside linebackers remain on the free agent market, and the Buccaneers could sign one for the right price. Notable options included C.J. Mosley, Ja’whaun Bentley, De’Vondre Campbell, and Eric Kendricks.
Mosley, 32, played only four games due to neck injuries during the 2024 season with the New York Jets as he tallied just 17 tackles. While the Jets released him in March, he hasn’t retired.
Bentley, 28, had 12 tackles and 0.5 sacks in just two games played for the New England Patriots last season due to a torn pectoral muscle. His last full season, 2023, was productive amid 4.5 sacks, 114 tackles, and 12 quarterback hits.
Campbell, 31, tallied 79 tackles for the San Francisco 49ers last season after a productive stint with the Green Bay Packers. He previously had at least 75 tackles in each of his previous three seasons with the Packers.
Kendricks, 32, had 138 tackles, three sacks, and two interceptions for the Dallas Cowboys last year. He has been a durable, consistent performer throughout his career with at least 107 tackles annually since 2017.
How the Buccaneers Improved the Secondary, Pass Rush
Tampa Bay improved the secondary with the selections of cornerback Benjamin Morrison from Notre Dame and cornerback Jacob Parrish from Kansas State. Laine noted that Morrison only surrendered 38.5% of passes for his collegiate career, and she noted Parrish’s 19 pass breakups during the past two years bodes well for the Buccaneers.
Similarly, former Central Arkansas edge David Walker and former SMU defensive lineman Elijah Roberts getting drafted by the Buccaneers can improve things in the trenches. Walker has “an explosive bull rush with a very powerful lower body” as Laine puts it, and she called Roberts a “power rusher” amid his ability to sack the quarterback and create turnovers.
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