Action in New York
The Buccaneers will head north on Monday afternoon for joint practices with the Jets next week prior to Friday's preseason clash. Joint practices provide valuable reps and a high intensity structured scrimmage against an unfamiliar foe. Coaches will use this time as a measuring stick to evaluate players and schemes in fierce competition with game-like snaps. Bucs outside linebacker David Walker has impressed with daily wins and would-be sacks during team periods out on the grass and the second-year player will receive a ramp up in New York and will be able to weaponize his pass-rush arsenal against an unknown offensive tackle. Following a week in New York, Head Coach Todd Bowles confirmed that the staff will begin finalizing the depth chart and which players fall into the first, second and third-team category.
"He works in with some of the other pass rushers at times but from a rep and rest standpoint, we have to kind of keep it equal right now," said Bowles. "Right now, there is really no first, second or third team, we will start divvying it up after the Jets game. He will see a lot of action in New York against their guys as well."
Hunger Spurs Growth
The Buccaneers' 2026 defensive unit stepped onto the field with an insatiable appetite to begin training camp. Tampa Bay made a concerted effort in the draft and free agency to bolster the unit with players that possess a nasty temperament on the field and fiery disposition. The physicality of the retooled group has been evident throughout camp, with urgency from all three levels. Whether communication keys, hype speeches or chirping at the offense, the defense has been vocal to foster ascension. The energy has been contagious and when asked if the 2026 defense is the best he has been a part of, Yaya Diaby emphatically responded," Yes." Diaby's goal is for the squad is to finish this year's campaign in the top-10.
"Everybody is hungry," noted Diaby. "It is like a little bit of everything. We got A'Shawn, we got Nacho (Rakeem Nuñez-Roches), everybody is hungry. David Walker has been having an amazing camp, Rueben is doing his thing and we just all bounce off each other, and it has just been good…I love the energy and it helps everybody, not just the defense… I want us to finish top-10 in defense."
Iron Sharpens Iron
One-on-one battles always garner attention during training camp, whether it is between offensive and defensive linemen or receivers and defensive backs. The chess match constantly mesmerizes and is the reason fans are transfixed on Sundays. Endless possibilities await with every snap of the ball and for A'Shawn Robinson, he is embracing the matchup with Ben Bredeson to enhance his craft. Routinely working against the same opponent reveals strengths and weaknesses but both Robinson and Bredeson have used the constant skirmish as a learning tool for future showdowns. When joint practices begin next week, the line of scrimmage will be the contest to observe.
"We see everything and the flaws of our game and each other, seeing what other teams are going to see when they come by, we are looking at, 'Hey, you are oversetting. Your inside hand is a little wide, when you come here, why don't you just keep it inside the wrist and work inside?'" described Robinson. "We just teach each other ways of beating each other so that when we get that chance of going against somebody else with a different style or technique in a game, then we have all seen it and we understand it together and we are never behind the 8 ball."
