Bucs Defense Has Even More Leadership In 2025

Dennis’ communication skills have been praised by coaches and his teammates on defense. He has also taken it upon himself to be more vocal in the huddle, doling out the high-fives and hyping guys up, which is what he did as a three-year starter in college at Pittsburgh. If Dennis’ play is as good as the Bucs are hoping it is, he will likely inherit Lavonte David’s captain’s “C” when the legend retires.

DT Calijah Kancey

Kancey was teammates with SirVocea Dennis for four years at Pittsburgh and this will be the seventh year the two have played football together. Not only will Kancey and Dennis form a terrific 1-2 punch in the middle of the Bucs defense along with fellow defensive tackle Vita Vea, but Kancey is expected to take on more of a vocal leadership role up front this year.

Kancey, a former first-round pick in 2023, is a more vocal player than Vea, who is more lead-by-example like Lavonte David is. In addition to Dennis, Kancey established a great rapport with outside linebacker Yaya Diaby, who was drafted in the third round in 2023, from day one. Diaby and Kancey are thick as thieves and are always seen talking football whether it’s on the practice field, in the locker room or in the meeting room. Kancey isn’t the fire-starter that Hall of Fame defensive tackle Warren Sapp was. Instead he’s more like Gerald McCoy, rallying the players on defense.

OLB Yaya Diaby

Diaby came on the Pewter Report Podcast this offseason and talked about wanting to take on more of a leadership role as he enters his third season in Tampa Bay. He’s done just that this offseason. Diaby and SirVocea Dennis were the ones hyping up the other defensive players in the huddle. The former Louisville star has also been organizing team dinners with his teammates on defense to have the unit become closer and ultimately be as tight knit as Tampa Bay’s offensive line is.

Diaby is super serious about his craft, and when he’s not on the field getting his reps he’s been glued to new outside linebackers coach Larry Foote, picking his brain and taking on Foote’s coaching. He’s also going to join Calijah Kancey at Maxx Crosby’s Sack Summit this offseason to work on his pass rush moves. Diaby wouldn’t mind getting a “C” on his chest one day, perhaps when Vita Vea retires, but if not, he’s satisfied just being a vocal leader the way that Jason Pierre-Paul and Ndamukong Suh were just a few years ago before his arrival. Neither player was officially a team captain.

CB Zyon McCollum

Antoine Winfield Jr. wears the “C” in the secondary, but he’s more of a Lavonte David-type, who leads by example. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see fellow safety Tykee Smith emerge as a more vocal leader this year, but in his second season and transitioning from nickelback to strong safety, he might not be ready to take the reins of Todd Bowles’ secondary just yet.

McCollum also joined the Pewter Report Podcast this offseason, and like Diaby, he also discussed being a more vocal leader in 2025. Now entering his fourth year in Tampa Bay and his second year in the starting lineup, McCollum appears ready to be the vocal leader in the defensive backfield – certainly in the Bucs cornerback room. McCollum, who won the annual Good Guy Award for being the best Buccaneer with the media in 2024, is quite a natural talker and communicator. He’s perfectly poised to assume a leadership role on the back end of Tampa Bay’s defense.

OLB Haason Reddick

Reddick comes to Tampa Bay as a proven performer when it comes to getting to the quarterback. A two-time Pro Bowler who amassed double-digit sacks from 2020-2023, the 30-year old Reddick has something that the Bucs outside linebacker room lacks a lot of – experience. Even though he’s only attended a few phase I workouts and the mandatory mini-camp in Tampa Bay so far this offseason, Reddick has stated that he’s excited to share what he’s learned over his NFL career with his new teammates.

Reddick has never been a team captain before on any of the four other teams he’s played on, but at this stage of his career, and with his history of being outspoken, he won’t be shy about taking on a leadership on defense, especially in the outside linebacker room. Reddick is the kind of player that doesn’t need to have a “C” on his chest to speak up. He and Yaya Diaby won’t just be dangerous bookend pass rushers on the edge. They’ll also be vocal leaders up front on defense.

Anthony Walker Jr.

Walker, who signed a one-year deal with the Bucs after playing in Miami, isn’t expected to start in Tampa Bay this season. But he’ll be the first linebacker off the bench in the game if SirVocea Dennis or Lavonte David need a breather or get injured. Entering his ninth year in the league, primarily as a middle linebacker, Walker will be a great resource for Dennis to lean on as he assumes the starting role this year for the first time in his three-year career.

Walker is a great communicator and has a very outgoing, friendly personality. He’s as team-oriented as they come and is excited to play in Tampa Bay with David, who is one of his idols. Walker is a highly respected veteran, who was a two-time captain in Cleveland from 2022-23. He’ll take on a leadership role from the back of the inside linebacker room and help mold Dennis into a star in no time.