The Tampa Bay Buccaneers finally had their first practice in pads on Monday as training camp continues to ramp up.
All eyes were on the team’s rookie class to see how the new generation of Buccaneers performed in their first taste of physicality at the NFL level.
Inside linebacker Josiah Trotter rose to the occasion with an impressive performance that has Tampa Bay buzzing.
Josiah Trotter turns heads during Tampa Bay Buccaneers training camp
Trotter stood out in the first padded practice, stifling the Bucs’ rushing attack with three tackles for loss, including two on back-to-back plays, according to Pewter Report’s Adam Slivon.
Bucs rookie ILB Josiah Trotter just jolted Justin Skule with a punch, rocked him backwards and made a tackle for loss. Then Trotter shoots the A gap and makes another tackle for loss on the next play.
— PewterReport 🏴☠️ (@PewterReport) August 3, 2026
Head coach Todd Bowles was pleased, but not surprised, by Trotter’s early success.
“We knew he’d show up in pads. I mean, he’s a physical ball player… he made a couple plays,” Bowles said.
Veteran linebacker Alex Anzalone, who Trotter is expected to start alongside, was also impressed by what he saw from the rookie.
“[He had] some good plays too. Not just some typical zone plays. He had some gap scheme plays where he had to read the pulling guard and you know, he’s a good, heady player so it’s not shocking to me… he has a really good trigger and as an inside linebacker, that’s what you want,” Anzalone said.
Anzalone’s comments speak to what makes Trotter such an intriguing fit in Tampa Bay’s defense. The Buccaneers have emphasized stopping the run with Bowles at the helm, and Trotter’s physical, downhill style could allow him to be highly effective attacking the line of scrimmage.
His playmaking ability was on display last season at Missouri, where Trotter recorded 84 combined tackles, including 13 tackles for loss and two sacks. His ability to disrupt plays in the backfield was a big part of what made him an appealing target for the Buccaneers during the draft process.
The linebacker position has been a consistent weakness over the last few seasons, and the retirement of Lavonte David only made the situation more dire.
If Trotter can continue to build on this strong performance and make an immediate impact as a rookie, it’ll provide a significant boost to Tampa Bay’s defense.
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