The Buccaneers’ practice squad could wind up mattering a lot more than the average depth chart footnote this season, especially in the secondary.
Tampa Bay’s roster setup all but points to that. Todd Bowles has usually taken at least 10 defensive backs into Week 1 during his time calling the defense, but this year the Bucs got down to just nine after final cuts - and even that required a waiver claim for former Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Kevin Knowles.
The reason is elsewhere on the roster: Tampa Bay is carrying 10 offensive linemen and seven defensive linemen, one more at each spot than in previous years. The extra offensive line depth makes sense after injuries hit tackle depth.
That leaves the defensive back group positioned to lean heavily on practice squad call-ups. The clearest short-term candidate is safety Ifeatu Melifonwu, who stood out as one of Tampa Bay’s best defenders in the preseason.
The Bucs often dress only three safeties, and Miles Killebrew is more valuable for special teams than for defensive snaps, especially after a preseason injury limited him. Melifonwu would give Tampa Bay more coverage help and special teams value right away.
Second-year safety JJ Roberts could enter the picture once Melifonwu’s elevation window closes and his own recovery from a torn ACL last preseason is finished.
Still, the practice squad player best positioned to make the biggest overall impact across the season is veteran cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting. Tampa Bay drafted him in 2019, he was part of the team’s 2020 Super Bowl defense, and he left in 2023 before returning after being cut by the Arizona Cardinals. He signed with the Bucs after final roster cuts last week following a torn ACL in 2025.
Murphy-Bunting’s calling card is his flexibility. He can line up outside, work in the slot, and even play in the box.
With second-year corner Benjamin Morrison dealing with another hamstring injury, Tampa Bay may need Murphy-Bunting to step in sooner rather than later, or at minimum be ready for the next injury that comes along. Because he already knows Bowles’ defense, the seven-year veteran may not need much time to get back up to speed.
In Other News...
Bucs Fans Have A Rookie Worth Watching In This Award Race
The rookie award race is already taking shape, and Tampa Bay fans have a name worth tracking before the season even gets rolling. Kalshis updated odds put Jets edge rusher David Bailey out front, but the broader conversation around the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year picture is still open enough to keep several contenders in play, especially with preseason buzz often fading once the games count for real.
For Buccaneers supporters, the appeal is obvious: this is the kind of early-season watch list that makes every splash play by a young defender feel a little more meaningful. The race also carries a familiar wrinkle for anyone following the league closely, since safeties rarely take home this award and early success does not always translate once the regular season begins, leaving plenty of room for a fast start to matter even if the finish remains uncertain. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Suddenly Have A Real Week 1 Linebacker Decision
Josiah Trotter has spent his first Buccaneers camp making the kind of impression that turns a routine rookie year into something much more interesting. The second-round pick is in the mix for a starting inside linebacker job, and both Todd Bowles and Jason Licht have already made it clear that his practice work has stood out enough to merit real attention on the defensive side.
SirVocea Dennis is still part of the picture, which is why this has become one of the more notable early decisions on Tampa Bays board. The job is not settled yet, and with Week 1 approaching, the Bucs are weighing whether Trotters strong start is enough to push him into the opening lineup right away. [Read more 🡒]
Todd Bowles Is Pushing A Bucs Defensive Reset Fans Will Notice
Todd Bowles is trying to steer Tampa Bays defense toward a different kind of edge heading into the 2026 season, one built less on talk and more on how the room carries itself every day. The Buccaneers coach has made it clear he wants a stronger sense of accountability and a sharper collective attitude, and he sees veteran defensive tackles AShawn Robinson and Rakeem Nunez-Roches as two of the players setting that tone.
Robinson, entering his 11th NFL season, fits that mission as much for the way he leads as for anything that shows up in a box score. In Bowles view, the reset is about changing the standard from the inside out, with the defensive front helping define what this next version of the Bucs is supposed to look and feel like. [Read more 🡒]