The Bucs are at an impasse at the inside linebacker position. They need immediate production from the group for the team to have the success they believe they can achieve this season.
But at the same time, Tampa Bay has to find answers for the future at inside linebacker. And the team may need to find two starters instead of just one.
Future Bucs Ring of Honor member Lavonte David isn’t going to play forever. We can’t predict it just yet but there’s a good chance this is his last year playing football at age 35.
Separately, this is the first year that SirVocea Dennis, who’s going into his third season, is slated to be a full-time starter. Dennis has a ton of promise, but has missed significant time through his first two seasons in Tampa Bay. Can he get through an entire season, especially with more playing time, and a higher amount of contact and responsibility?
Bucs ILB SirVocea Dennis – Photo by: Cliff Welch P/R
Adding veteran Anthony Walker Jr. into the mix brings intrigue as well. He’s a longtime friend of David going back to growing up in Miami and the two train together in the offseason. We’ll see how the defense is deployed, but there’s a role for Walker to potentially come in for David on specific passing situations as that’s where Walker is best suited.
With all that speculation and concern out of the way, there is a bright side to Dennis getting the chance to start – and the addition of Walker.
Bucs Linebacker Duo Hitting It Off
Organized team activities, better known as OTAs, have begun across the NFL. Tuesday’s practice for the Bucs was the first open to the media where we saw SirVocea Dennis and Anthony Walker Jr. running the show. Lavonte David was not there and likely won’t be at many of these optional practices. During this point of his career, body maintenance is more important than David getting extra reps in May in a defense he knows quite well.
Bucs head coach Todd Bowles and ILB Lavonte David – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
What it has allowed for is Dennis and Walker to start building chemistry together. While understanding there’s such a long way to go, this duo has hit the ground running together. Dennis sparked the practice with an interception over the middle against Bucs starting quarterback Baker Mayfield. It hyped up the defense and continued a trend that Dennis has had throughout these offseason practices dating back to his rookie year, making interceptions early in the new season.
“He’s been like that the last couple of years,” head coach Todd Bowles said. “We’ve just got to keep him healthy. We feel like he’s a lot healthier going into this season than he’s ever been. Knock on wood, if he’s healthy, we think we’ve got a heck of a player.”
Walker had a moment as well during the practice. He snuffed out an end around going to the left side of the offense making what would’ve been a tackle for loss had hitting been allowed. Right after the play he was yelling to the offense that he knew right away that it was coming. Walker has come in prepared in his first season in Tampa Bay. He was constantly barking out calls for a defense that desperately needs a vocal presence for the entire group considering their previous breakdowns from the unit.
Bucs ILB Anthony Walker Jr. – Photo by: Cliff Welch P/R
“[He is] very intelligent from a communication standpoint, which we thought he was when we got him,” Bowles said. “He really fit right in once he came here – I feel like he’s been here the whole time. He’s got a good grasp of the scheme and an understanding of what to do. Him and ‘Voss’ (SirVocea Dennis) are really hitting it off.”
Much will change by the time the Bucs kick off the 2025 season against the Falcons. The same could be said by the time the season is over and we’ll have more answers about Dennis and Walker and their future in Tampa Bay. During this time, though, Bucs fans can feel a little bit better about a position that is considered to be thin thanks to their performance and working together.
