Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Post-draft 53-man roster projection
By Bailey Adams
Linebackers (6)- Lavonte David, Kwon Alexander, Kendell Beckwith, Adarius Taylor, Devante Bond, Jack Cichy
As far as the defense is concerned, the linebacker group was the least of the team’s worries. Lavonte David, Kwon Alexander and Kendell Beckwith make up as solid of a trio as there is in the entire league. David has been one of the NFL’s best linebackers for years, leading his team in tackles for five of the last six seasons. Since his rookie year in 2015, Alexander has been a huge playmaker for Tampa Bay. He and David made up one of the better duos in the league even before last year. Sure enough, though, the rich got richer at the linebacker position in 2017 with the addition of Beckwith in the third round of the draft. His strong rookie season bodes well for the future.
On the negative side of things, Beckwith’s availability for week one is in doubt. He suffered an ankle injury in a car accident this offseason and will be rehabbing for the next few months. To step in his place, the team has some familiar depth in Adarius Taylor and Devante Bond. Taylor, who Bucs fans likely know as Adarius Glanton, was a strong special teams player last year in addition to filling in at linebacker. In early April, the team announced that he was changing his last name to honor his father. Bond, another familiar name, is hoping to stay healthy after missing most of 2016 and some of 2017.
The only new name in this projected group of linebackers is Jack Cichy, Tampa Bay’s sixth round pick in April’s draft. The former Wisconsin Badger is coming off an ACL injury that occurred before last season. He missed part of the 2016 season as well with a pectoral injury. Tough injury luck aside, Cichy could come in and contribute to the Buccaneer defense as a fresh depth piece. Prior to his injuries, he was considered a second-to-third round talent. If he makes a full recovery and plays the way he did in his breakout 2015 season, he will make the team as a sixth linebacker and potential special teams guy.