The Buccaneers came into this season trying to replace a familiar voice in the middle of the defense, but the early answer at linebacker has turned into a problem they can’t ignore.
After Lavonte David retired following a disappointing, injury-plagued 2025 season, Tampa Bay turned to Alex Anzalone as its top veteran addition on defense in free agency. The hope was simple: bring in a stabilizing presence, someone who could fill a role similar to the one he played for Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions over the past few seasons.
Two games into the 2026 NFL regular season, that plan has gone sideways.
Tampa Bay has already dropped games to the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns, and Anzalone has drawn the harshest criticism of anyone on the roster. The issue isn’t just that he’s struggling; it’s that he’s been a clear liability. He has missed tackles, blown coverages, and played so poorly that there’s no mistaking him for anything other than a drag on the defense.
The situation has gotten bad enough that the Buccaneers are being pushed toward a tough decision: bench him.
At this point, the argument is no longer about trying to squeeze value out of the contract or waiting for the veteran to settle in. The case against keeping him on the field is that he’s actively hurting the team. The suggestion is that Tampa Bay should absorb the loss, move him out of the starting lineup, and see whether he can earn his way back later.
That’s not an easy fix, either. SirVocea Dennis and Chris Rozeboom are not exactly headline-grabbing alternatives, and the linebacker room is already a weak spot outside of rookie sensation Josiah Trotter. But Anzalone’s play has been so rough that even those options are being framed as preferable if the goal is simply avoiding more damage.
Anzalone is still a team captain and wears the green dot on defense, which makes the whole situation even more complicated. But his performance has put Tampa Bay in a spot where a difficult change may be the only one left.
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