Captain Badge
The Buccaneers elected their captains on Monday through a vote by the players and inside linebacker Alex Anzalone was listed as one of the esteemed six leaders. He is the only player among the bunch who was not on the team's roster in 2025. Lavonte David, who had been a captain for 12 of his 14 seasons with the Buccaneers, retired and a new era begins for the middle of Todd Bowles' defense. Anzalone will wear the green dot on his helmet in 2026, meaning he has a built-in radio speaker receiving direct play calls from the coaches on the sideline. He is responsible for communicating the play to the rest of the defense and getting players lined up, along with handling pre-snap adjustments based on the opposing offense. Anzalone has become a vocal leader on the 2026 squad and has showcased his physicality, coverage ability to stay with running backs and tight ends down the seam, along with proficiency at disrupting routes from zone. He has bolstered the defense with his fiery temperament on the field.
"He wanted the green dot and he got that and having the green dot requires you to talk and communicate with everybody, so he has done a great job of communicating, especially with the safeties with [Antoine] Winfield and Tykee [Smith] are on the same page and getting with the defensive front and lining everybody up and then him just making plays with his ability," said Bowles. "Everybody has a lot of respect for him and he kind of just played his game and worked his way into it."
Joe Burrow Overview
Joe Burrow's 2025 season was marred by a toe injury that forced him to miss nine games, but when healthy, Burrow is unquestionably one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. The former first overall pick in 2020 commands the high-octane offense in Cincinnati with stunning precision and timing. He can create off-schedule plays with his arm or legs. Burrow plays with vision and outstanding touch and can deliver strikes into seemingly impossible tight windows. He can slide and escape pressure, noted by Todd Bowles on Monday at the podium.
"It is not just the accuracy, it is his intelligence and the way that he moves in the pocket," described Bowles. "He can run without running and he can buy time just with his feet and he can get seven yards if he has to get seven and he can get 10 if he has to get 10 and he can beat the rush. He is so accurate on the outside, especially with his fade balls, with the back shoulder or the deep over the top and he puts it where only his guys can get it. They do a great job of going to get the ball so there is probably nothing that he has not seen so we just have to play sound football and execute."
YAC Master
Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase is in the upper echelon at the receiver position and can win on short, intermediate and deep passes. His numbers dipped in 2025, but he still posted 125 catches for 1,412 yards, accumulating an absurd 352 receptions over a three-year span in Cincinnati. Chase is Burrow's go-to weapon and the explosive playmaker has the vertical acceleration to leave cornerbacks reeling. He pairs stellar ball-tracking skills with high-point capability. Chase is instinctive in contested catch scenarios with sticky hands and can take crossers and slants to the house for touchdowns. The edgy receiver and future Hall of Famer can adjust to haul in catches away from his frame and stays friendly to Burrow on scramble drills. Bucs' cornerback Jacob Parrish will be tasked with battling Chase on Sunday and he stressed mitigating the Bengals' prized possession in the open field.
"Have to go out there and trust my technique," said Parrish. "What really stands out from him is his YAC, what he does after the catch. He is very strong and is really good at getting yards after the catch, so we have to focus hard on getting him down. They are going to have quick game throws and quick game balls, so it is going to be a matter of us getting him down."
