Buccaneers Training Camp 3 to Watch: Linebackers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have plenty of changes happening on the defensive front, but the linebacker position is a little more stable.

With only one new starter as Joe Tryon-Shoyinka replaces the departed Jason Pierre-Paul, the Bucs will have some solid consistency, with a dash more of youthful energy this season.

And that's where we start with our look at three linebackers to watch in training camp, this season.

JOE TRYON-SHOYINKA

Replacing one hyphenated last name with another is a coincidence. Replacing the production and presence JPP brought to Tampa Bay during his four years with the team is going to take a lot of talent, and hard work.

Talent is what Tryon-Shoyinka has in droves, and it would appear from his offseason practices that he's been putting in the work.

Now, it all just needs to come together, right? Not as easy as it sounds, unfortunately.

On the opposite side of JTS is Shaquil Barrett who himself is looking to regain some of the production he had in 2019 when he racked up 19.5 sacks.

Forcing opponents to view Tryon-Shoyinka as a legitimate threat opposite him would help out a lot.

In 2021 there was just a 41 snap difference between the rookie and the veteran he now replaces. With Pierre-Paul no longer on the roster, however, Tryon-Shoyinka's workload is expected to increase closer to the 200 snap difference between he and Barrett.

Tryon-Shoyinka sacked the quarterback on a pace that figured to five sacks had he played the same snaps as Barrett. But JPP produced 8.5 with 100 fewer.

The Buccaneers will look for JTS to get closer to that mark in his first season as a starter, to help get the defense back on a championship level.

K.J. BRITT

Similar to Tryon-Shoyinka, Britt is another second-year linebacker the Bucs are going to look to for an increased workload, and more productive because of it.

Essentially, Britt is going to be viewed as veteran Kevin Minter's replacement, and Tampa Bay is expected to keep just four off-ball linebackers on the active roster.

While he will continue his special teams role, he'll also see an uptick in defensive snaps, where he'll need to show he can hold his own to continue growing his role on the team.

This starts in camp, where many of the plays you see starters Lavonte David and Devin White make - and miss - begin with play recognition and an above-average field sense, at minimum.

Britt has the tools, now is time to get the on-the-job training that will help continue his upward trajectory in the NFL.

ANDRE ANTHONY

Andre Anthony is the latest LSU Tigers linebacker to join the Buccaneers.

While Devin White has become a star - and somewhat underperformed expectations - Kendall Beckwith looked to be a steal where general manager Jason Licht was able to draft him before injuries derailed all of that potential.

As a seventh-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, nobody is going to have super-high expectations for Anthony. But that shouldn't stop him from wanting to make his mark on the team.

Anthony Nelson was once considered a front-runner to someday replace Jason Pierre-Paul. That all disappeared the day the team drafted Joe Tryon-Shoyinka.

Now, Nelson is playing backup to a new linebacker, and Anthony will look to push him for that spot as well.

For more on this and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers check out James Yarcho and David Harrison on the Locked On Bucs Podcast!