Christian Rozeboom, a 29-year-old inside linebacker who led the Carolina Panthers in tackles last season, is expected to sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2026 NFL free agency period, keeping him in the NFC South for the second straight year.
CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported the expected deal on Monday, with agents Chris Gittings and Jeremiah Sirles later confirming the signing to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Rozeboom posted 122 tackles across 15 starts for Carolina in 2025 after putting up 135 tackles with the Los Angeles Rams in 2024. Fox Sports’ Greg Auman reported it is a one-year contract.
Tampa Bay’s Linebacker Room Is Being Rebuilt With Lavonte David’s Future Unclear
The Buccaneers entered free agency needing answers at inside linebacker. Veteran linebacker Lavonte David, a three-time All-Pro and Tampa Bay fixture for over a decade, has yet to announce whether he will return or retire. The Bucs have been building around that uncertainty.
Earlier this offseason, Tampa Bay signed linebacker Alex Anzalone to a two-year, $17 million deal, which practically guarantees him a starting role in 2026. With SirVocea Dennis and Nick Jackson also in the mix, the Rozeboom signing adds depth and genuine starter-level competition.
Los Angeles Rams LB Christian Rozeboom
If David returns, Rozeboom figures as a third linebacker competing for snaps. If David retires, Rozeboom and Anzalone would form the starting pair in Todd Bowles’ 3-4 defense.
This also makes Rozeboom the second player from Carolina’s defense to land in Tampa Bay this offseason. Defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson, released by the Panthers, had already signed with the Buccaneers earlier in the period. Two defenders from the team that knocked Tampa Bay out of the NFC South title picture are now wearing Bucs uniforms.
From South Dakota State to a Career Built One Tackle at a Time
Carolina Panthers, Christian Rozeboom
Dec 21, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers linebacker Christian Rozeboom (56) reacts after sacking Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (not pictured) during the first half at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Rozeboom closed out his college career at South Dakota State as the program’s all-time leading tackler with 475 career stops, yet went undrafted in the 2020 draft. The Los Angeles Rams signed him as a free agent.
He spent his entire first professional season on the Los Angeles practice squad, then briefly landed on the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squad in 2021 before the Rams brought him back. He played on that Rams team that won Super Bowl LVI, primarily as a special teams contributor.
His path to a consistent starting role took a few more years. He made five starts for the Rams in 2023 and grew into a full-time starter in 2024, when he led the team with 135 tackles. The production earned him a year, $2.5 million deal with Carolina last March. He as well delivered again.
Rozeboom has faced Tampa Bay twice yearly for the past two seasons. He knows the division, the personnel, and the rivalries well.