Josiah Trotter Has A Shot At “Defensive Rookie Of Year” Award
May 7th, 2026
Bucs rookie LB Josiah Trotter.
He said there’s a chance.
Though ESPN NFL analyst Ben Solak isn’t dropping coin at a Pennsylvania casino on Bucs rookie linebacker Josiah Trotter winning the NFL “Defensive Rookie of the Year” award, Solak thinks Trotter does have a chance.
The first thing Trotter has to do, typed Solak, is prove he’s better than veteran new Bucs inside linebacker Alex Anzalone. No small feat.
But with Trotter’s attitude and his ferocious downhill-attack mentality, Solak believes folks shouldn’t dismiss Trotter making a major impact with the Bucs defense.
Josiah Trotter, LB, Buccaneers: … Trotter’s unique skill in college was his burst and unreal football instincts to create tackles at or near the line of scrimmage. He’s in the race for the award, especially if he shows during camp that he can play faster than the aging Anzalone.
Does Joe believe Trotter could be a star rookie? It’s way, way, way too early. How about waiting till the guy first puts pads on in late July?
If the Bucs have a 10-win-or-more season, that tells Joe the defense is playing well and that means the Bucs’ rookies on defense, including Trotter, are playing well.
Who knows, maybe Rueben Bain, Keionte Scott and Trotter will cancel each other out of Defensive Rookie of the Year votes because all three are playing strong ball.
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