Josiah Trotter Quietly Growing Into A Monster - JoeBucsFan.com

Remember when folks wrung their hands and whined for months that Josiah Trotter couldn’t defend the pass?

Joe is beginning to think the Bucs have the next great Bucs defensive player in a long line of defensive players on their hands.

While Joe has been fixated on KitKat-eating Bucs coach Todd Bowles, the crappy record, the garbage passing game and then rejoicing in the rebirth of the Bucs and the rebirth of the defense, a rebirth of sacks as a weapon and a rebirth of playoff chances, a monster is growing in the background.

That’s Trotter.

The rookie blasted onto the NFL scene in his first game at Cincinnati with a pick-six and a sack, the first NFL player to do that in his very first game.

When Joe watched Derrick Brooks retire, Joe never thought another Brooks would be seen. A couple of years later, here comes Lavonte David who tied Brooks in career tackles.

Joe never thought another Lavonte David would come around. And now, here comes Trotter.

Per the Bucs, no Bucs defender has had more tackles through his first five games than Trotter. Not Brooks, not David, not even Devin White, who in his first two seasons was a complete terror on the field.

In fact, only four other defenders in NFL history have more tackles in their first five games than Trotter. That’s the impact he is making. The Bucs defense wouldn’t be as good as it is without Trotter’s impact.

Joe is getting the feeling the Bucs found themselves a very special player.

Josiah Trotter #45 is a playing so fast. The confidence in his movement is evident – he is trusting what he's seeing pre-to-post snap…

Cool to watch for a rookie LB. Not an easy spot. pic.twitter.com/xdPwokpOdx

— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) October 26, 2026