Front seven getting healthy at the right time
The other rookie with a starting spot comes as no surprise and was penciled in as a starter since January by some. Devin White will line up alongside Lavonte David at inside linebacker and will hopefully provide an increased level of mobility and field presence this season despite a relatively quiet offseason.
White has a big personality and seems well-liked by his peers, which puts him in a good spot to follow in Lavonte David’s footsteps as a leader on the team. Behind David and White are veterans Deone Bucannon and Kevin Minter, as well as second year player Jack Cichy.
The final spot on the field is the defensive line, which is where the Buccaneers have the least depth. Nose tackle Vita Vea, who must step up on Sunday, and defensive end Ndamukong Suh look to be the anchors of this line with very few impressive players behind them.
William Gholston and Rakeem Nunez-Roches both had decent offseason and the starting nod will go to Gholston; Beau Allen adds an element of depth with Nunez-Roches as well. Outside of the starters the defensive line will likely struggle to gain too much penetration, but the outside linebacker core will be successful at getting to the quarterback.
The defense for the Buccaneers has gotten younger, faster, and more aggressive. Defensive coordinatorTodd Bowles and company had their pick of the draft and have built the team that they believe will have the best chance of competing in this division.
Look for the defense to make some noise, but the problems that plague young teams will still be present. Despite all of this, expect the Buccaneer defense to be better than they were last year and to continue taking steps in the right direction.