Josiah Trotter is already giving Todd Bowles something he’s never had in Tampa Bay and the season hasn’t even started yet
The Buccaneers are very bullish on Josiah Trotter and it’s easy to understand why after listening to some of the coaches talk about his role and what he can do for the defense.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have yet to play a regular season game, yet, rookie linebacker Josiah Trotter is already making a difference.
“I don’t think, since we’ve been here, we’ve had that true MIKE linebacker,” Buccaneers run game coordinator/outside linebackers coach Larry Foote told reporters Tuesday. “What I mean by that [is], he’s able to hit the guard and go make the play and get off very easily. He can strike those guys. It’s a little old school football, you know, [I’m] quite sure he gets it from his daddy.
“He’s the definition of that MIKE linebacker, and it helps you when you have those guys, because you don’t have to have a lot of guys in the box. You can go light box, protect and run, because you know he can two-gap. He can handle his A gap, then get to the C gap.”
Foote’s comment regarding the Buccaneers’ lack of a true MIKE is very intriguing. Obviously, Lavonte David was more of a weakside-type ‘backer, as was Devin White. They’re the quicker, sideline-to-sideline type of linebacker as opposed to a true downhill guy like Trotter.
So what does that do for the Buccaneers defense? As Foote notes, Trotter can help the Bucs play lighter boxes against the run without sacrificing strength and size. It can allow Bowles to deploy more Mike Macdonald-type looks on defense and we saw how well that’s been working the last couple of years.
“We’re hoping that it’s a mindset,” Buccaneers inside linebackers coach Mike Caldwell told reporters. “A mindset for us to get back to being a physical front, and he’s that type of player. He’s a guy that can come downhill, use his hands, and be the physical presence inside.”
The best part about Trotter’s situation with the Buccaneers is the front seven is filled with experienced veterans to where he doesn’t have to have too much on his plate from the start. Guys like Vita Vea, A’Shawn Robinson, Calijah Kancey, and Alex Anzalone are able to shoulder more of the load and that’ll obviously help Trotter’s development.
It’ll be interesting to see what Bowles’ Bucs defenses have been missing if this is indeed the first time he’s had a true MIKE. If Trotter is the wildcard as mentioned, we could see somethings we’ve never seen before in 2026 and beyond.