The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are still feeling the sting of a season that spiraled out of control. What began with real promise - a team that looked poised to take the NFC South and make noise in the playoffs - ended with a thud.
No postseason. No division crown.
Just a lot of questions, and most of them pointed at the defensive side of the ball.
Let’s be clear: this collapse wasn’t about Baker Mayfield and the offense falling flat. Could they have played better?
Sure. But they were fighting uphill all year - battling injuries and operating with a razor-thin margin for error because the defense, particularly the front seven, simply couldn’t hold up its end of the bargain.
The secondary has some bright spots. Jacob Parrish, for one, continues to fly under the radar despite solid play.
But up front? That’s where the problems start.
The Bucs lacked a consistent pass rush, struggled to stop the run, and didn’t have the kind of versatile, coverage-savvy linebackers needed in today’s NFL. Lavonte David, a franchise staple, is nearing the end of his storied career and weighing retirement.
His leadership is invaluable, but the Bucs need fresh legs and playmaking ability in the middle of the defense.
Enter Kyle Louis.
The Pitt linebacker has been turning heads at the Senior Bowl, and not just with flashy highlights - though he’s had his share. Louis is quickly becoming one of the most intriguing Day 2 prospects in this year’s draft class, and Tampa Bay fans are starting to take notice. He brings the kind of speed and versatility that could immediately upgrade the Bucs’ linebacker room.
Louis isn’t your prototypical thumper in the middle. He’s undersized by traditional standards, but that’s part of what makes him so dangerous.
He moves like a safety, covers like a nickel corner, and hits like a linebacker. He’s shown the ability to blanket tight ends and running backs in coverage - something the Bucs have sorely lacked - and he doesn’t shy away from contact.
In fact, he seeks it out. He’s the kind of sideline-to-sideline defender who can erase plays before they develop.
And while coverage is his calling card, don’t sleep on his ability to get after the quarterback. Louis racked up 10 sacks over the past two seasons, showing a knack for timing blitzes and slipping through protection with ease. That kind of dual-threat ability - to cover and rush - is gold in today’s game.
If Tampa Bay can grab Louis in the second or third round, pair him with a top-tier edge rusher in the first, and make a splash in free agency with one more impact addition to the front seven, this defense could look very different - and very dangerous - next season.
There’s still work to do, but Kyle Louis fits the mold of what the Buccaneers need: speed, instincts, and a little bit of fire. He’s not just a potential fix - he might be the spark that reignites a defense in desperate need of one.