The brief week has saved the Bucs busy with their roster. After already waiving defensive deal with Ben Stille and signing vast receiver Sterling Shepard, Tampa Bay made extra roster strikes.
Sadly, one in all them was that the Bucs positioned inside linebacker SirVocea Dennis on injured reserve. To take his place, they signed inside linebacker Antonio Grier Jr. from the follow squad to the lively roster. With a follow squad spot open, Tampa Bay signed inside linebacker Kalen DeLoach to it.
Bucs ILB SirVocea Dennis – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Impression On Bucs’ ILB Room
SirVocea Dennis was having a very good season platooning with Ok.J. Britt. Dennis had recorded 22 tackles and one sack by way of 4 video games, though he exited very early in Sunday’s 33-16 win over the Eagles. Dennis injured his shoulder after 5 snaps on Sunday.
He additionally missed quite a lot of the preseason with a shoulder situation, although it’s not none if it’s the identical one. Dennis must miss at the very least the following 4 video games, however it seems like he could also be out even longer.
Antonio Grier Jr. performed most of his faculty soccer in Tampa at USF from 2018 to 2022, then went to Arkansas in 2023. Grier signed with the Bucs as an undrafted free agent and spent all of coaching camp with Tampa Bay. He was waived throughout roster cuts in late August however signed to the follow squad two days later.
Kalen DeLoach was a excessive profile undrafted free agent signing by Tampa Bay as properly as a result of he performed at Florida State. He was additionally waived throughout roster cuts however was not introduced again in any capability till in the present day. That leaves DeLoach and Vi Jones as the one inside linebackers on the follow squad.
Who’s Taking part in Third Down?
Bucs ILB Ok.J. Britt and DT Calijah Kancey – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
How the Bucs wish to go about formulating their protection at inside linebacker will likely be attention-grabbing. We all know Lavonte David goes to play each single down, however what is going to they do with Ok.J. Britt? He’s been averaging 41.5 snaps on protection, however sometimes SirVocea Dennis would play on third down as he’s achieved higher in go protection.
The Bucs will both must belief Britt to play all three downs or they may elect for J.J. Russell or Antonio Grier to take up that duty. An alternative choice that Todd Bowles and the Bucs may go together with is to make use of a dime package deal, which would go away simply David with quite a lot of defensive backs on the play.
Whichever Bowles’ chooses, he’ll must provide you with it quickly. The Bucs have a Thursday night time recreation on the highway on the Falcons. It’s a very great place to prolonged their lead as Tampa Bay sits in first place.
