ESPN recently examined the NFL’s biggest positional improvements following the 2026 offseason, and while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did not crack the top 10, their revamped linebacker room still received praise.
In explaining the criteria behind the rankings, the author pointed to Tampa Bay as a team that successfully addressed a significant need during the offseason. The Buccaneers entered the spring facing major questions at linebacker after the retirement of franchise legend Lavonte David.
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To help fill that void, Tampa Bay added veteran linebacker Alex Anzalone and selected Josiah Trotter in the draft. The article specifically highlighted the pair as a strong new duo for the middle of the defense.
However, ESPN explained that the Buccaneers ultimately fell short of the final rankings because of who they were replacing. While the additions were viewed positively, David’s retirement left a void for a player who continued to perform at a high level through the final years of his career.
That distinction was important to the overall rankings. Rather than focusing solely on the best additions, ESPN evaluated which position groups made the largest net improvement from the end of the 2025 season to the start of the 2026 campaign.
Even without making the final top-10 list, Tampa Bay’s inclusion in the discussion serves as another indication that the organization addressed one of its most important offseason priorities. The Buccaneers knew replacing David would not be easy, but ESPN believes the additions of Anzalone and Trotter have helped put the linebacker room in a much better position heading into 2026.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: ESPN praises the work of the Bucs in the offseason
