Buccaneers’ Offseason Moves Speak Volumes About SirVocea Dennis’ Future

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may not have publicly given up on SirVocea Dennis, but their actions this offseason certainly suggest they’ve lost confidence in him as a long-term starter.

When Dennis was drafted in the fifth round in 2023, the expectation wasn’t that he would immediately become a starter. The plan was for him to develop behind Lavonte David before eventually taking over once the future Ring of Honor member stepped away from the game.

That opportunity arrived.

Dennis simply hasn’t done enough with it.

Dennis Was Supposed to Be Lavonte David’s Successor

The Buccaneers spent two seasons developing Dennis before finally handing him a starting role in 2025.

If the organization truly believed he was the answer at inside linebacker, this offseason would’ve looked much different.

Instead, Jason Licht completely overhauled the position.

That alone says plenty about how the front office evaluated Dennis’ first season as a starter.

The Buccaneers Brought in Three Legitimate Competitors

Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton recently identified Dennis as Tampa Bay’s biggest bust candidate entering the 2026 season, writing that he “could lose one of the starting inside linebacker jobs before Week 1.”

It’s hard to argue with that assessment.

The Buccaneers signed veteran Alex Anzalone, a player with five consecutive seasons as a starter and extensive playoff experience.

They also added Christian Rozeboom, who has started for both the Los Angeles Rams and Carolina Panthers over the past three seasons while gaining valuable postseason experience of his own.

If that wasn’t enough, Tampa Bay used a second-round pick on Josiah Trotter, a selection that clearly signals the organization expects him to become a major contributor sooner rather than later.

Teams don’t invest those kinds of resources at one position when they’re confident in the player already on the roster.

Dennis Hasn’t Earned the Benefit of the Doubt

Dennis had every opportunity to establish himself last season.

Instead, he struggled in one of the most important aspects of playing linebacker in Todd Bowles’ defense.

According to Pro Football Focus, Dennis finished as one of the league’s lowest-graded linebackers in coverage. That’s an area the Buccaneers immediately addressed by signing Anzalone, whose coverage ability has long been one of his strengths.

For a defense that struggled throughout 2025, replacing inconsistent play at linebacker became a priority.

Unfortunately for Dennis, he gave the coaching staff very little reason to believe he should remain locked into a starting role.

The Writing Appears to Be on the Wall

Perhaps the biggest takeaway isn’t that Dennis will have to compete for playing time.

It’s that the Buccaneers created a linebacker room where he may struggle to see the field at all.

With Anzalone, Rozeboom, and Trotter all capable of starting, Dennis suddenly finds himself battling simply to remain part of the defensive rotation.

That’s a remarkable change for a player once viewed as Lavonte David’s eventual replacement.

Training Camp Will Decide Dennis’s Future

Dennis enters the final year of his rookie contract with more questions than answers.

He no longer appears to be the linebacker Tampa Bay envisioned developing into David’s successor. Instead, he’s fighting to prove he belongs in the organization’s long-term plans.

Training camp will offer one final opportunity to change that narrative.

Based on the Buccaneers’ offseason moves, however, it’s difficult to believe the organization still views SirVocea Dennis as its linebacker of the future.

More likely, Tampa Bay has already begun preparing for life after him.