If the Tampa Bay Buccaneers want to get back to the postseason, it needs the defense to do a complete 180.

It’s a widely-known talking point and was the driving force behind the Buccaneers’ defensive overhaul during the offseason. Jason Licht and Todd Bowles added a total of 10 free agents and four draft picks on that side of the ball, creating plenty of competition among both starters and depth players.

The expectation is a lot of those guys will make a serious impact right off the bat. However, there’s one in-house name that is set up for a solid 2026 season: Elijah Roberts.

The second-year defensive lineman is coming off a solid rookie year that saw him record 2.0 sacks, two tackles for loss, five QB hits, three pass break-ups, and a fumble recovery over the course of nine starts and 507 defensive snaps. Per Pro Football Focus, he also racked up 27 total pressures on 326 pass rush snaps, good for an 8.2% pressure rate.

Overall, it was a good first year for a former fifth-round pick. Especially when considering he wasn’t slated to play a bunch of snaps. Roberts displayed the power, length, and strength that earned him a draft selection. Now, he’s ready to take the next step in 2026.

And when looking at the Buccaneers roster, he has a great opportunity to do just that.

“I tell you, what, Elijah Roberts, [it’s a] good opportunity to work with him,” Buccaneers defensive line coach Marcus West told reporters ahead of OTAs. “[He’s a] guy who’s drafted last year as a rookie with a lot of experience. … A rookie year can be, can be overwhelming sometimes, but the second year is the year I get with him.

“He has tasted the NFL, and now I get a chance to help him be his best him. Now he’s comfortable being an NFL football player.”

Elijah Roberts has a chance to earn a sizable role in the Buccaneers’ DL rotation

The Buccaneers have their starters on the defensive line. The top-3 will be Calijah Kancey, Vita Vea, and A’Shawn Robinson, but the fourth spot-on is totally up for grabs.

That’s where Roberts can really break in. Starting defensive linemen typically play 60-70% of defensive snaps in a game, leaving the remaining 30-40% for backups.

Defenses are usually on the field for about 60-65 plays per game, so that’s about around 20-25 snaps up for grabs. It’s plenty of opportunity for Roberts to show the Buccaneers he can be a big part of the future.

And so far, he’s impressed both coaches and players during the early portions of the offseason. Run defense is currently the biggest knock on his game and Bowles noted he’s put on the extra weight to help offset that.

“He’s played the three and the four. He’s another guy that’s changed his body type a lot,” Bowles told reporters on the first day of OTAs. “He looks a lot bigger shoulder-wise. Coming in, he’s been very sharp with his calls and everything. So I’m excited to see him when he gets out there.”

“He’s explosive, quick off the ball, [and] uses his hands well,” said Robinson. “[He] takes coaching and tips here and there perfectly, and applies them right now. So he’s a great player.”

Roberts taking the next step would be huge for a couple of reasons. For starters, he would provide a reliable backup in case Kancey suffers another injury. Secondly, Robinson is only in town on a one-year deal. While there’s plenty of optimism, there’s no guarantee he’s back in 2027.

Roberts can carry the torch from Robinson in that instance. And, considering it’d be Year 3, he could prove to be a young building block in the front seven.

The veterans and coaches are there to help coach Roberts up and the roster is in position for him to carve out another large (but this time intended) role. It’ll go a long way toward getting the Buccaneers defense back on track if Roberts makes it happen.