Bucs confirm suspicion about two key starters against Bengals in Week 1 depth chart
Two young defenders are set to start on Sunday against Cincinnati as expected.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 2026 season opener is upon us, with the Bucs set to take on the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday on the road.
As such, the team finally pulled back the curtain on their starters on both sides of the ball on Tuesday. the team released their unofficial depth chart, and a couple of young standouts found themselves with the first team defense.
Rookie LB Josiah Trotter and CB Jacob Parrish are listed as starters on the depth chart for Bucs’ opener against the Bengals
Trotter was drafted by the Bucs in the second round of April’s draft following the retirement of Lavonte David and the free agent signing of Alex Anzalone. The Missouri product has given the Bucs’ defense a jolt of energy and physicality.
He’s been relentless on the practice field in pursuit and been a flash when asked to pass rush, so it’s certainly seemed like a position well earned, which is expected for just about any rookie.
“He’s one of those headhunters,” Bucs edge rusher Yaya Diaby said about Trotter on Monday. “He just puts his head in there and just — he needs to just slow down real quick because we got to make sure he makes it through the whole season season. But he’s a headhunter, man, and I’ve been liking what I’ve been seeing with him. I know he’s going to be a great help, especially in the run, but I know in the pass he’s going to do what people think he can’t do.”
“Once he puts that helmet on, it’s a different switch,” Diaby added. “It’s not even, ‘is he young? Is he first year, second year?’ He puts that helmet on, and it’s about business.”
Parrish was the leader in the clubhouse for the starting boundary spot opposite Zyon McCollum, in significant part because of his own strong play, but also due to the extended absence of Benjamin Morrison from the practice field during training camp and the preseason. Parrish handled the nickel spot in impressive fashion in 2025 as a rookie out of Kansas State, and he earned the trust from Bowles and his staff to line him up on the boundary to start the season against one of the most explosive passing attacks in the NFL in the Bengals’ Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins.
The writing was on the wall for this, and based on the circumstances, it’s hard to argue with. We’ll see this weekend if these young Bucs and the rest of the starters can help Tampa Bay get their season started on the right foot.
