The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' defense is going to look a lot different this season.

Not only because of all the new faces it added this offseason, both in free agency and in the 2026 NFL Draft, but also because it will be without a franchise legend.

Linebacker Lavonte David called it a career after 14 Hall of Fame-worthy seasons in Tampa. Seeing the defense take the field without number 54 in the middle is going to take some getting used to.

The Bucs signed LB Alex Anzalone away from the Detroit Lions in free agency in March to take over David's spot, and Tampa probably couldn't have done a better job at replacing their defensive leader, at least for the short term. 

While Anzalone is a great substitute for David for 2026, rookie second-round pick Josiah Trotter is the true heir apparent to David. How he develops will be key to Tampa's future at the middle linebacker position.

That is why Ben Solak of ESPN is calling Trotter a "rookie to watch" in his article about the top training camp storylines around the NFL.

The pressure is mounting on Todd Bowles, who is entering his fifth season as the Bucs' head coach. After missing the playoffs last season, Bowles needs his defense to step up in 2026, and Trotter's development will be pivotal.

Despite his reputation as a defensive genius, Bowles' defenses have not proven it over the last few years, as Solak points out.

"A massive make-or-break year awaits Todd Bowles in Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers' coach, now in his fifth season, failed to make the postseason for the first time last season. His team's success has largely come on the back of great offenses, while the defense has lagged behind. The Buccaneers were 18th in defensive DVOA last season, 16th the year before that and 14th before that. As a defensive head coach, Bowles' unit must be better."

Bowles would seem to be the perfect coach for a young linebacker like Trotter, but he must prove his chops as a defensive guru again after years of having a defense that has fallen short of expectations.

Entering the season on the hot seat, Bowles may not have much time to work his magic on Trotter, but having the rookie show improvement throughout the season would bode well for both of their futures.

One area where David struggled towards the end of his career was in coverage. Actually, most of Tampa's linebackers were lacking in that department.

Unfortunately, that is Trotter's weakness as well. Though he wasn't asked to drop into coverage often at Missouri, he did not perform well when he was. Solak believes that Trotter's improvement in coverage is key to how quickly He will be ready to take over.

"After the retirement of franchise legend Lavonte David, veteran signing Alex Anzalone and Trotter must step into huge shoes in the center of the defense. Trotter is a fast and physical hitter, while Anzalone's range has been limited as he approaches his age-32 season. The Bucs had huge coverage issues at linebacker last season, and Trotter was more of a blitzer than a dropper at Missouri. If he earns a full-time role next to Anzalone, it'll be because of strides he makes in coverage during training camp."

While Rueben Bain Jr. is the star of Tampa's draft class, he looks like more of a sure thing (so far) and likely has a starting job already locked up.

Trotter, meanwhile, has more to prove before he is trusted with a major role as a rookie, making how he performs during training camp a must-watch.

Solak believes that Trotter's development in camp is not only one of the most interesting rookie storylines for the Bucs, but one of the most interesting rookie storylines in all of the NFL.

The Bucs are counting on Trotter developing into the long-term replacement for David. Training camp will give him his chance to make a great first impression with the pads on.

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