Todd Bowles has a defense that still feels like a work in progress, and USA TODAY’s latest NFL ranking didn’t do Tampa Bay any favors.
In Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz’s preseason look at all 32 defenses for 2026, the Buccaneers landed at No. 21. That’s a middling spot for a team that has invested in the unit with veteran additions and draft picks, but still hasn’t consistently turned that side of the ball into a strength under Bowles.
“Things look mostly solid for Tampa Bay, which addressed its glaring concern of subpar second-level athleticism by bringing linebacker Alex Anzalone aboard,” he said. “But it won't take much to send Todd Bowles' group to another disappointing finish.”
Bowles has won three NFC South titles and a playoff game in four seasons as head coach, but the defense has rarely matched that success. Since he took over in 2022 after serving as the team’s defensive coordinator from 2019-2021, Tampa Bay has finished near the bottom of the league in yards allowed three times. The group has cracked the top 10 in points allowed only once, when it ranked No. 7 in 2023 while giving up 19.1 points per game.
The last two seasons have been especially uneven. Over that span, the Buccaneers have allowed 339.5 yards per game and 23.4 points per game.
There has been turnover on the roster, too. Tampa Bay lost future Hall of Fame linebacker Lavonte David and cornerback Jamel Dean, but tried to restock with Rueben Bain Jr. in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft and cornerback Keionte Scott in the fourth round. The team also brought in linebacker Christian Rozeboom and drafted linebacker Josiah Trotter, with Anzalone joining that mix as well.
Even with those changes, the pass rush remains the obvious pressure point. Middlehurst-Schwartz pointed out that Tampa Bay managed only 37 sacks and produced a quarterback pressures per dropback rate of 19.8 percent.
“If rookie Rueben Bain Jr. can't propel the pass rush, things could come unglued for a collection of players that repeatedly lost their composure in the red zone, finishing with a league-worst conversion allowed rate of nearly 70 percent,” Middlehurst-Schwartz said.
The defense did show one encouraging sign last season by improving in takeaways. After finishing 18th in total takeaways with 18 in 2024, Tampa Bay climbed to No. 9 with 23 in 2025.
Still, Bowles enters the season with heat on him, and Bruce Arians recently offered a different kind of buzz around the new-look front seven. Speaking on a recent podcast, the former head coach praised the energy Bain has brought.
"The relentlessness he brings to practice -- he’s getting after them every day. He’s going to make those (offensive) tackles better, too,” Arians said on a recent podcast.
“Tristan (Wirfs) is going to make him better. It’s a great battle.”
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