The Buccaneers didn’t land the linebacker many fans had circled, but they may have found the one they actually needed.
Jacob Rodriguez was the name a lot of Tampa Bay supporters were banking on as the next centerpiece in the middle, the player who could eventually step in after Lavonte David’s retirement. Instead, the Bucs came away with Josiah Trotter, a promising inside linebacker and the son of former Philadelphia Eagles standout Jeremiah Trotter, a familiar name for anyone who watched the NFC battles with Tampa Bay.
Trotter arrives with a reputation for being a punishing, two-down thumper, and he backed that up with a strong college career at Missouri. But what’s making him stand out now is that he’s showing Todd Bowles and the defensive staff he can do more than just play downhill. The athleticism and football IQ are there too, which opens the door for him to contribute on all three downs, just like his father did.
That matters in a linebacker room carrying serious expectations. David isn’t just any veteran.
He’s the second greatest linebacker in Buccaneers history behind Derrick Brooks, who the source describes as maybe the best inside linebacker of the modern NFL era not named Ray Lewis. That’s the kind of standard Trotter is walking into.
Even so, Trotter is already building a following as the new leader and so-called quarterback of the defense. The buzz around him, and around several of the new additions, has centered on one thing: they’re bringing attitude. Trotter fits that mold, much like A'Shawn Robinson, with the kind of edge and ruthless aggression this defense has been lacking.
He doesn’t have to become Lavonte David to matter. He just has to help make the Buccaneers better right now, in the 2026 NFL regular season.
That’s the opening here. David, by his own admission, wasn’t at his best last season.
He was worn down, hurt, and said he took some plays off. Trotter is the opposite profile: young, fresh, hungry, and playing with a kind of energy that’s already carrying over inside the building.
There will be mistakes. There will be growing pains. But if Trotter keeps attacking each snap the way he’s shown so far, the Buccaneers may have found exactly what their defense was missing.
In Other News...
Buccaneers Suddenly Have A Backup Quarterback Question To Weigh
The Browns decision to keep Deshaun Watson atop the depth chart for Week 1 has only sharpened the conversation around Shedeur Sanders, who impressed enough in the preseason to keep himself in the mix as a young quarterback with some real intrigue. After starting seven games as a rookie, Sanders enters the season in a familiar but awkward spot for a team that has to balance patience with the possibility that another club could come calling if it wants a backup with upside.
For the Buccaneers, that is the kind of question that tends to linger once the roster settles and the league starts looking for solutions behind center. Tampa Bay is among the teams mentioned as a possible fit, alongside the Rams, Eagles and Ravens, but nothing has moved beyond speculation at this point. The interesting part is not whether Sanders is available right now, but whether a team like the Bucs decides his talent is worth pressing for before the market tightens. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs May Have Found A Low-Cost Answer To A Troubling Depth Issue
Cody Ford has popped up as a possible low-cost addition for Tampa Bay, a move that would give the Buccaneers another veteran option along an offensive line that could use more reliable depth. Released by the Bengals, Ford brings a familiar blend of experience and versatility, with starts at both guard and tackle over the last five NFL seasons.
There is also a small layer of familiarity here that could matter as Tampa Bay weighs its options. Ford and Baker Mayfield were college teammates at Oklahoma during Mayfields Heisman season in 2017, and that shared history could be part of what makes Ford an appealing fit as the Bucs look for help without making a major financial commitment. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Suddenly Have A Backup QB Problem They Can't Easily Solve
The Buccaneers are suddenly staring at a backup quarterback situation that looks less settled than it did a few weeks ago. Behind Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay has been sorting through Jake Brownings veteran experience and Jalon Daniels more dynamic preseason showing, and the contrast between the two has made the decision more interesting than expected.
Browning brings the kind of familiarity and steadiness teams usually want in a reserve, but Daniels has flashed the upside that can make a coaching staff pause. For a Buccaneers team that wants clarity behind its starter, the question now is whether it leans on the safer option or bets on the younger passer with more juice. [Read more 🡒]