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Earlier this offseason, Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Alex Anzalone said that rookie Josiah Trotter would start looking a lot more impressive once training camp began.
He was right.
Once the pads finally came on, Trotter was able to start showcasing his best ability, which is hitting. It was his hard-hitting, thumping style that made him one of the best linebacker prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Even if it took a while before Trotter's full array of talents could be unleashed, that doesn't mean OTAs and minicamp didn't help his development. He was able to use his extremely high football IQ, which has been on display since Tampa drafted him, to help him learn Todd Bowles' defense.
Now that training camp is in full swing, Trotter is feeling much more confident and comfortable in Bowles' defense, and it is showing up on the field.
Rueben Bain Jr. is rightfully getting the bulk of the attention when it comes to Bucs' rookies, but Trotter is also being counted on to be a cornerstone of Tampa's defense for a long time.
Adam Slivon of Pewter Report released an article detailing just how much Trotter has been impressing both coaches and teammates, with Bucs defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches calling the rookie an "alpha amongst alphas."
While Trotter is normally a calm, mild-mannered kind of guy, he becomes a totally different person on the field. He says that when he steps onto the field, he flips a switch, separating Josiah from "Trot."
“When I come out here, I try to separate the two as a player and person. I just know when I put these pads on, Josiah is out the window; I just become ‘Trot’ now at that point. I’m just trying to bring that mindset of everything that my dad instilled in me from a young age."
His dad, of course, was Philadelphia Eagles four-time Pro Bowl linebacker Jeremiah Trotter. Nunez-Roches says that coming from the Trotter bloodline means the rookie "has some juice in him."
Showing his growing confidence, Trotter (as well as Bain) is consistently chirping to his teammates on the field. Whenever he makes a play, which is happening more and more often, he makes sure to let the offense know about it.
Defensive tackle A'Shawn Robinson, himself a new addition to Tampa's defense, says that hearing rookies Bain and Trotter talking on the field proves that they are "locked in."
Coach Bowles has also been very happy with what he has seen from "Trot" so far. He knew the rookie would look like a different player once the pads came on.
“He’s been coming along great. We knew his impact would be felt once we got in pads. That’s kind of what we saw in college. He makes his presence felt. He’s really picking up the scheme really well and understanding what he can do to cheat to make plays within it.”
While Bain may be the front-runner to win Defensive Rookie of the Year, Trotter is being counted on as the long-term replacement for franchise legend Lavonte David, who retired this offseason after 14 seasons with the Bucs.
Trotter is showing that he is up to the challenge of filling David's shoes. Now that he can finally showcase his full arsenal of talents, the rookie is looking like he will earn a major role even as a rookie.
Coach Bowles recently talked about all the newcomers on Tampa's defense creating a mentality that is "night and day" compared to last season. Trotter has been a part of that. Players are gravitating toward the rookie, who is really starting to show a big personality on the field.
Expect Trotter to continue to look better and better as camp progresses and the preseason games begin. Now that he can do what he does best, Trotter looks like a centerpiece of Tampa's defense.
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Continue reading...
He was right.
Once the pads finally came on, Trotter was able to start showcasing his best ability, which is hitting. It was his hard-hitting, thumping style that made him one of the best linebacker prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Even if it took a while before Trotter's full array of talents could be unleashed, that doesn't mean OTAs and minicamp didn't help his development. He was able to use his extremely high football IQ, which has been on display since Tampa drafted him, to help him learn Todd Bowles' defense.
Now that training camp is in full swing, Trotter is feeling much more confident and comfortable in Bowles' defense, and it is showing up on the field.
Rueben Bain Jr. is rightfully getting the bulk of the attention when it comes to Bucs' rookies, but Trotter is also being counted on to be a cornerstone of Tampa's defense for a long time.
Adam Slivon of Pewter Report released an article detailing just how much Trotter has been impressing both coaches and teammates, with Bucs defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches calling the rookie an "alpha amongst alphas."
Different Person On The Field
While Trotter is normally a calm, mild-mannered kind of guy, he becomes a totally different person on the field. He says that when he steps onto the field, he flips a switch, separating Josiah from "Trot."
“When I come out here, I try to separate the two as a player and person. I just know when I put these pads on, Josiah is out the window; I just become ‘Trot’ now at that point. I’m just trying to bring that mindset of everything that my dad instilled in me from a young age."
His dad, of course, was Philadelphia Eagles four-time Pro Bowl linebacker Jeremiah Trotter. Nunez-Roches says that coming from the Trotter bloodline means the rookie "has some juice in him."
Showing his growing confidence, Trotter (as well as Bain) is consistently chirping to his teammates on the field. Whenever he makes a play, which is happening more and more often, he makes sure to let the offense know about it.
Defensive tackle A'Shawn Robinson, himself a new addition to Tampa's defense, says that hearing rookies Bain and Trotter talking on the field proves that they are "locked in."
Coach Bowles has also been very happy with what he has seen from "Trot" so far. He knew the rookie would look like a different player once the pads came on.
“He’s been coming along great. We knew his impact would be felt once we got in pads. That’s kind of what we saw in college. He makes his presence felt. He’s really picking up the scheme really well and understanding what he can do to cheat to make plays within it.”
Final Thoughts
While Bain may be the front-runner to win Defensive Rookie of the Year, Trotter is being counted on as the long-term replacement for franchise legend Lavonte David, who retired this offseason after 14 seasons with the Bucs.
Trotter is showing that he is up to the challenge of filling David's shoes. Now that he can finally showcase his full arsenal of talents, the rookie is looking like he will earn a major role even as a rookie.
Coach Bowles recently talked about all the newcomers on Tampa's defense creating a mentality that is "night and day" compared to last season. Trotter has been a part of that. Players are gravitating toward the rookie, who is really starting to show a big personality on the field.
Expect Trotter to continue to look better and better as camp progresses and the preseason games begin. Now that he can do what he does best, Trotter looks like a centerpiece of Tampa's defense.
Join our ROUNDTABLE community! It's free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members. Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!
Continue reading...
