Josiah Trotter is about to find out just how fast the NFL can test a rookie linebacker.
The Buccaneers have spent the offseason reshaping their defense with free-agent additions, but Tampa Bay is also counting on its young players to make that transformation real. That includes a rookie class that has already pushed its way into major roles. Rueben Bain Jr. and Josiah Trotter have both been named starters, while Keionte Scott is expected to handle a meaningful workload in year 1.
Among that group, Trotter has made the strongest early impression. He’s earned praise from teammates and coaches alike during his first NFL offseason, and winning a starting job at one of the most important spots in Todd Bowles’ defense says plenty about how much trust the staff already has in him.
Now comes the real thing, and Trotter’s first assignment is a steep one: Joe Burrow and the Bengals.
Speaking with Logan Robinson of BucsGameday, Trotter talked through the challenge ahead and made it clear he knows where the danger starts.
"QB, that's the first thing. You've seen a guy like that, make the reads, make the throws, and then he also has weapons with him," Trotter said. "That's the biggest threat right there on their offense, just the weapons he has, the receiver position and all the way to the running back, you know, who's getting a lot of touches as well, not just for the run game but the receiving game."
Trotter also laid out the kind of approach he wants Tampa Bay to bring against Cincinnati’s quarterback.
"He has a lot of weapons that he can throw to, especially being an elite QB" Trotter said. "so just try to be able to contain that, and try to, you know, get to him, gotta try to rattle him early and try to keep it going."
That aggressive edge fits what the Buccaneers have seen from him already. Trotter’s game is built on controlled aggression, and Sunday will be the first time fans get to see it matter in a regular-season setting.
In Other News...
Bengals Suddenly Have A Week 1 Concern In The Secondary
A new Week 1 concern surfaced in Cincinnati when cornerback DJ Turner showed up on the injury report with a hamstring issue after a limited practice. The timing is less than ideal with the season opener looming, especially since Turner is expected to handle the matchup against wide receiver Emeka Egbuka. It adds a little more uncertainty to a secondary that would rather spend the final days before kickoff tightening up its communication than managing late-week health questions.
The Bengals have spent plenty of time this offseason talking up their readiness for the new year, with JaMarr Chases career milestones also part of the broader conversation around what the offense could do next. But defensive availability can change the tone of a Week 1 game quickly, and Turners status is now one of the more important things to watch as Cincinnati finalizes its plan. If he is less than full speed, the Bengals may have to adjust on the fly in a spot where they would prefer not to be improvising. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Veterans Are Quietly Protecting What Cincinnati Still Has Open
While the Bengals have spent plenty of time this season sorting out their bigger-picture questions, a quieter kind of work has been happening behind the scenes from a few veterans who know how to steady a locker room. Jalen Davis has become a useful presence in the secondary, where his day-to-day influence has helped cornerback DJ Turner keep growing, and Joe Flacco has stepped into the backup quarterback role with the kind of experience that can calm a room full of younger players.
The value of those voices goes beyond practice reps and game-day insurance. Cincinnati has leaned on veterans before, but this mix of leadership and mentorship matters because it reaches into two spots the team still needs to keep strong: the back end of the defense and the quarterback room. With Joe Burrow at the center of everything, Flaccos presence gives the Bengals an extra layer of support, while Davis continues to be part of the shaping of a secondary that still has room to mature. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Already Face One 2026 Trap Zac Taylor Can't Ignore
JaMarr Chase and Tee Higgins used Chases podcast to take a grounded look at Cincinnatis 2026 slate, even as outside projections have already painted it as one of the softer paths in the league. The Bengals top receivers made it clear they are not buying into the idea that any week offers a free pass, which is usually the right instinct in a league where schedules can look very different by December than they did in the spring.
Higgins also pointed to the way Zac Taylor approaches the grind, with the coaching staff treating every opponent like a real test instead of leaning on preseason reputation. That matters for Cincinnati, because schedule rankings based on past win percentage or Vegas forecasts can be useful shorthand, but they are still only guesses until the season starts and teams reveal who they really are. [Read more 🡒]