At the midway point of the 2026 slate, evaluations commence in the customary annual report card for every club around the NFL. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers currently sit at third place in the NFC South standings with a 3-6 record, with the 3-5 Carolina Panthers owning first place. Several players in the Bucs' rookie fraternity have fortified the team on the field, including inside linebacker Josiah Trotter and nickel Keionte Scott. Fifth round picks DeMonte Capehart and Billy Schrauth have not yet logged any snaps in 2026 and have frequented the inactive list, providing depth on the roster. Trotter has contributed 452 defensive snaps (82.18%), while Scott has produced 349 snaps on defense (63.45%). Defensively, first round pick Rueben Bain Jr. has tallied 248 snaps on defense (45.09%), while Ted Hurst III has accumulated 299 (50.59%) and Bauer Sharp has logged 65 (11%) on offense, along with the latter posting 166 (67.76%) on special teams.
Trotter leads the Bucs with 70 tackles on the year. He has produced a team-high in six of eight games played this season, surpassing Lavonte David (67 in 2012) for the most tackles by a player through his first nine career games played in franchise history. Trotter also surpassed Devin Lloyd (68 in 2022) for the 10th-most and Jacob Rodriguez (69 in 2026) for the ninth-most tackles by a player on any team through nine career games since at least 2000. He has become more comfortable in Todd Bowles' system and is playing free at the midpoint. Trotter has fortified the middle of the defense and has set the tone against the run. He effectively tracks runs bouncing wide and fires downhill like a man possessed. Trotter plays with an old-school mentality and pierces gaps as a blitzer, expanding Todd Bowles' pressure packages.
Scott has taken ownership of the Bucs' nickel spot and is tied with Caleb Downs for the most defensive stops (14) among rookie defensive backs. He can quickly close windows with his speed and quick trigger. Scott plays with urgency near the line of scrimmage and sudden change-of-direction. He closes tight before uncoiling on strikes as a tackler and possesses immense strength for his size.
Bain has undergone a learning curve in the NFL but has progressed in recent weeks, getting into the backfield. He posted a sack against Aaron Rodgers in Week Six and has tallied 10 combined tackles, a tackle for loss, three quarterback hits and a pass defensed. Bain pairs an explosive punch with bend at the top of the rush and physicality at the point of attack.
Hurst has tallied 168 yards on 11 receptions and a touchdown in 2026. The Bucs have found their groove running the football, but have struggled to get into a rhythm with their aerial attack. Hurst, a long-strider, quickly accelerates and is efficient in-and-out of breaks. He can attack defenses vertically with built-up speed and can uncover on comebacks and hitches, planting then opening. Sharp has primarily been utilized as a blocker at the line of scrimmage to help generate creases for backs and has elevated the robust ground game with a low pad level and powerful strike on down blocks and pulls.
