The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made rebuilding their defense a priority this offseason. General manager Jason Licht added several veteran defenders, hoping to improve a unit that struggled throughout 2025.
Not everyone believes those additions will be enough.
Sports Illustrated Raises Concerns
As Matt Verderame of Sports Illustrated pointed out, Tampa Bay signed linebacker Alex Anzalone and edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad expecting both to contribute immediately in 2026. However, Verderame questioned whether those moves will truly elevate the Buccaneers’ defense.
“The defense will be relying on veteran additions, including linebacker Alex Anzalone and defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad,” wrote Verderame. “Both are 31 and weren’t deemed important enough by the Lions to bring back after finishing 18th defensively.”
Verderame’s argument centers on a simple question. If those veterans were not viewed as essential pieces in Detroit, can they become difference-makers in Tampa Bay?
Are Veteran Additions Enough?
The Buccaneers clearly believe experience will help stabilize their defense. Anzalone brings leadership and familiarity with multiple defensive systems. Muhammad adds depth and experience to the pass rush rotation.
Still, Verderame’s criticism reflects a broader concern surrounding Tampa Bay’s offseason strategy. Rather than making splash additions, the Buccaneers chose several experienced veterans to fill key roles.
Whether that approach succeeds will depend on more than the newcomers. Tampa Bay also needs internal improvement from returning players and continued development from its younger defenders.
For now, Verderame remains skeptical that the veteran additions alone are enough to transform a defense that finished among the league’s most inconsistent units last season.
Reality Check
Verderame raises fair questions about Tampa Bay’s offseason moves, but his criticism relies heavily on assumptions. Neither Verderame nor anyone outside the organizations truly knows why the Lions chose not to re-sign Alex Anzalone or Al-Quadin Muhammad. Salary cap priorities, roster construction, age, and contract value all factor into those decisions.
It’s also impossible to know how either player will perform before they take the field in Todd Bowles’ defense. NFL history is filled with veterans who found new life after changing teams or schemes. The Buccaneers aren’t asking these players to replicate what they did elsewhere. They’re asking them to fit specific roles within a system Bowles believes suits their strengths.
Judging Tampa Bay’s defensive overhaul before training camp even begins feels premature. The Buccaneers may have found the right pieces for their scheme, or they may not have. Until meaningful games are played, any claim that the defense wasn’t improved is simply speculation.
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