The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have some injuries on offense, while the defense remains relatively healthy. However, the play of their linebackers has made the middle of their defense a liability.
Unfortunately, linebacker Lavonte David is looking like he is 35 years old, finally, and SirVocea Dennis is a liability in coverage and looks out of place at times. This is why ESPN’s Benjamin Solak named them as a potential trade partner for someone who may be offering up a linebacker.
He has them making a deal with the Miami Dolphins where they send the Bucs linebacker Jordyn Brooks and send the AFC East team a package of a 2026 fifth-round pick and safety Christian Izien.
Solak writes, “Coverage linebackers in their athletic prime are rare and impactful players, and such a player is sorely needed in Tampa Bay. Third-year pro SirVocea Dennis has been the nearest defender in coverage on 35 targets this season, tied for third among all linebackers. He has surrendered 11.7 yards per target, right beside Elandon Roberts, Bobby Wagner and Terrel Bernard for the worst among all linebackers this season. Brooks is at 7.5. . .Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht tends to stay quiet at the deadline, but the need at LB — both short- and long-term — might be too big to ignore.”
It would be a cheap package for an impactful player to come in and help this defense recover in their work in the middle of the field.