Buccaneers Aren't Worried About Josiah Trotter's Coverage Concerns

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers needed a starting linebacker badly heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, and it sure seems like they've got one. The team drafted Missouri linebacker Josiah Trotter in the second round of the draft, and he's set to contribute as a starting linebacker right away in Tampa Bay.

Trotter's film notably showcases his run-stopping ability and blitzing acumen, and his size makes him a prototypical MIKE linebacker at the next level. But Buccaneers fans and pundits have been weary of Tampa Bay's failure to cover the pass at the linebacker position in recent seasons, and because of that, many have questioned Trotter's selection when other linebackers who showcased better pass coverage ability on tape could have been available later on.

The Bucs aren't worried about all that, though. And while they acknowledge that Trotter's run game prowess is stronger than his coverage skills, the team believes that he can be molded into a strong coverage linebacker in the NFL.

Josiah Trotter could be better at coverage than you think

The first time the Bucs spoke on Trotter's coverage ability was right after he was drafted. Mike Biehl, the team's vice president of player personnel, told reporters that while Trotter may not be known for his coverage ability, he can certainly do it, and the Bucs expect him to at the next level.

"I also think that he can play in coverage. I think that's a little bit of a misnomer. I don't know if it's the narrative the media is putting out, but he's actually pretty good at it," Biehl said. "That being said, he's an old school, downhill MIKE [linebacker] that can play the run which is hard to find nowadays. With the college game the way it has went, it's all lateral and everybody is looking for the speed stuff. To us, he has enough speed to play in our league. Now, if you said he's a better run defender than a pass defender, I would say yeah, that's probably fair, but we think he has the capability to be a three-down linebacker."

The numbers back up Biehl's assertion. From the first six games of Trotter's 2025 season to his last six games, Trotter's passer rating allowed dropped from 132.2 to 88.9, giving up 156 yards in his first six games and just 96 in his last six — with three more targets. Trotter took a big jump as the year went on, and the Bucs likely noted that before drafting him.

Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles seems to agree. He was asked about Trotter's coverage skills after the first day of rookie minicamp, where he got a good look at him, and he also told reporters that he thinks Trotter's skills in that department will come with time.

"He's not Derrick Brooks or Lavonte David, that's not his style, but he can cover," Bowles said. "They never asked him to cover. I've seen him cover before. I've seen him work out, probably in high school, just by default, being at the right place at the right time. He's very capable cover guy, he's a good 4.6 [40-yard dash] guy and he can hold his own and he understands angles. I'm not worried about him... Obviously, the more we put in, the more he gets comfortable with, the more you'll see his instincts make a play."

Pads don't come on until late training camp, and preseason games will begin shortly after. With that in mind, it will be tough to gauge how well Trotter does as a coverage backer until the season is about to start, but the Bucs certainly believe in his abilities.

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