The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offseason addressed some of the concerns at linebacker. With the retirement of LaVonta David, the Bucs needed to take a long, hard look at the position. Their answer? Rueben Bain and Alex Anzalone.
Tampa should have a solid linebacker group, but it will make it much harder for some players to actually find a spot on the defense. Mohamed Kamara is one of those guys.
Kamara was a 2024 5th-round pick of the Miami Dolphins, but after a standout offseason, the linebacker couldn't earn playing time.
Mohamed Kamara facing an uphill climb to make the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' roster
It's hard not to like Kamara. In Miami, he was saddled with questionable coaching made worse by bad coaching decisions. Miami's linebackers were great in name only, but when injuries happened, they didn't turn to the promising Kamara.
The LB lasted only two years with the Dolphins, another Chris Grier draft pick failure. In his two NFL seasons, Kamara has appeared in only 8 games and registered one tackle. Last year, he was added to the Bucs' active roster twice. In January, they signed him to a futures contract.
With the offseason linebacker additions this year, Kamara's place on the roster is likely on the practice squad. There simply hasn't been enough showing for him to make an impact.
OTAs didn't provide the coaching staff with enough tape to gain more confidence in the linebacker. Training camp may not provide enough opportunity. For Kamara, every rep will count, and he has to make the most of it.
There was a lot to like about him coming out of college, but so far, the NFL has proven to be much bigger than he has been able to handle.
Kamara is expected to start camp deep on the depth chart, making his opportunities scarce. As an edge rusher, he has quick speed, but he tends to get locked up during his rush. He stands out more in preseason games where he handles a larger workload, but this year may not give him enough opportunity to make an impression.
The Buccaneers need linebackers, and that should help his chances, but right now, Kamara is more than a long shot to find a place on the roster.
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