Todd Bowles Hints That This Buccaneers Rookie Could Start vs. Bengals

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are expecting a lot of out of their rookie class.

Tampa Bay drafted seven players in the 2026 NFL Draft, and in what has been a recent trend for the Bucs, all seven of those players made the 53-man roster. The rookies joined a team that had already been revamped over the course of the offseason through free agency, and that particularly goes for the defense.

Head coach Todd Bowles and general manager Jason Licht brought on players like Rueben Bain Jr. and Al-Quadin Muhammad to the edge rushing room, A'Shawn Robinson and Rakeem Nunez-Roches to the defensive line and Keionte Scott to the defensive backs room, but perhaps no room was changed more than the inside linebackers room.

The Bucs brought in linebacker Alex Anzalone to start, and they also picked up Christian Rozeboom as depth. But with veteran Lavonte David retired, the team could also use someone to start next to Anzalone, and the Bucs may have found the man for the job in Missouri linebacker Josiah Trotter.

Josiah Trotter Could Start For Buccaneers Against Bengals

Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Josiah Trotter (45) in action against the New York Jets during the first half at MetLife Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Bucs drafted Trotter in the second round to compete with incumbent starter SirVocea Dennis. Dennis did not impress last year, and although he's taken the starter reps when he's been healthy during the offseason, Trotter has looked very strong whenever he's gotten the chance to showcase his skills in training camp and the preseason.

Bowles was asked by media on Wednesday whether or not Trotter could end up starting alongside Anzalone instead of Dennis. And while he didn't outright confirm that would be the case, he strongly hinted that there's a good chance Trotter gets the job come Week 1.

"We'll see next week how [Dennis] goes along, but [Trotter is] making a hell of a case," Bowles told media on Wednesday.

Trotter has the skill set to be an effective MIKE linebacker, with the ability to be a strong blitzer and to sniff out the ball and attack the gaps in the run game. He's shown all that and more so far in preseason, and his presence is a reason Bowles recently called the inside linebacker room the most improved unit on the team heading into the offseason.

Dennis, meanwhile, struggled mightily in coverage and in the run game last year. He had a chance to stick around as the starter this offseason, but an injury sidelined him during the last week of preseason, which only hurt his chances.

We'll have to see just who ends up starting once the Bucs prepare to play the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1 on Sept. 13. If Bowles' hint is to be believed, it may just be the team's second-round rookie.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google