SirVocea Dennis Wanted To Play
August 11th, 2025
SirVocea Dennis reflects on first game action since September 2024.
The last time SirVocea Dennis played a full game was when the Bucs beat the Lions in a close game in Detroit last year.
The next game against the Eagles, Dennis played five defensive snaps and injured his shouder. Next was season-ending surgery. He held out hope that he could return in the playoffs, but that wasn’t meant to be.
So Joe doesn’t blame Dennis for gloating a little bit since he was in a game-like situation, albeit a worthless preseason game, when Joe spoke with him after Saturday night’s Bucs win over the mighty Titans.
“It felt good to be back out there, especially in the game,” Dennis said. “Definitely excited about the outcome. I don’t like that they scored on their second time out.”
Bucs coach Todd Bowles said before the game he was giving the starters the night off. So given how injury-prone Dennis is, “this Joe” was surprised Dennis was actually on the field.
Bowles wanted Dennis to have practice barking out plays radioed in to him from Bowles. Also, Bowles wanted Dennis to get used to not having to lean on Lavonte David for help.
Joe asked Dennis if his coach felt like he needed the work.
“Oh, probably,” Dennis said. “I know I definitely wanted to throw myself out there as well. So I actually thank him for that.
“I’ll take any reps I can to get ready right before the season.”
Dennis has had a sort of quiet training camp. Joe thinks his best practice was Thursday with the Titans. He made several plays.
Then in the first worthless preseason game against Tennessee, Dennis wasn’t shabby there either. He did have a pair of tackles.
Dennis confessed he doesn’t want to go crazy in practices facing his own teammates. There’s no sense in getting his own teammates blown up, he told Joe.
“I mean, that’s always the objective, and always the goal is to play to your best, obviously, against an opponent,” Dennis said. “That means something. Against your own guys, you know you can only do so much, and you don’t want to do much against them. You don’t want to hurt them.”
Dennis showed he can pick up his game against a different uniform. He can flip the switch.
Will that switch be available when the Bucs travel to Atlanta in 27 days against the Dixie Chicks?
#BeatAtlanta
August 11th, 2025 at 7:44 am
John Bullock and Nick Jackson can really ball
I’m not sure about Deion Jones, Anthony Walker
Walker is still injured, Jones had a good camp
Dennis has been given the starting job
I’m waiting to see what they do with Bullock and Jackson
August 11th, 2025 at 7:47 am
Dennis wasn’t happy they scored their second time out. He also didn’t do much to stop it. He gave up a key completion on 3rd and long that could’ve ended the drive. On the TD run a wide receiver road him out of the play easily with one hand. I don’t know what tape Joe was watching, but I rewatched the game concentrating on Dennis. He had zero impact. Played with no fire, or energy. He had trouble lining up the defense coming out of the huddle. If the Bucs think this 5th rounder who’s done nothing as a pro is the answer at MLB, they’re sadly mistaken. UDFAs Jackson, and Bullock looked better. Sad.
August 11th, 2025 at 7:54 am
Joe: “Dennis showed he can pick up his game against a different uniform. He can flip the switch.” Two tackles isn’t picking up his game.
August 11th, 2025 at 8:00 am
I didn’t watched the game
I was following the game on game cast
I know Jackson and Bullock was making plays
I didn’t see Dennis name that much, don’t if Jones even played
August 11th, 2025 at 8:04 am
It made perfect sense to me for Dennis to get some reps in the first pre-season game
Ditto for Heck
This idea of bubblewrapping your entire starting lineup during preseason is rather new.
Seems to me its better to get out there and take some licks and get your body used to tackling and playing football again during pre-season games.
There are very few opportunities to actually tackle during practices these days – so it should be little surprise when tackling looks shaky and injuries seem to pile up immediately the first couple/few games of the regular season.
August 11th, 2025 at 8:41 am
Gotta knock the rust off man. I can’t lie I was nervous for him, even when he had to go split out as a CB when Parrish lined up on the wrong side of the formation.
One preseason game, like pickgrin said not many opportunities in the offseason to get some real action in with one-less preseason game and you can see most teams are still figuring out how to play it. That 3rd game is still the dress rehearsal for starters, but the 4th game that teams no longer have was the last game to help seperate the remainder of the offseason herd in regards to personnel.
I’m not going to say Nick Jackson is as good or better, but he’s got some Kevin Minter to his game and I think we should find out over the next few games to see if he sticks.
Can’t ever have too many solid to serviceable football players
August 11th, 2025 at 8:49 am
I thought he was the invisible man and played like a Todd Bowles empty zone protege.
August 11th, 2025 at 9:01 am
I know Joe doesn’t think so, but after being in ATL last year and taking the train back to my Airbnb with a bunch of pompous Falcons fans, this game is #MustWin. If only for MY pride. Either way, looking forward to a great Bucs season.
August 11th, 2025 at 9:34 am
Have no idea how much each ILB played in the Titans game, but as a group they made quite a few tackles it looks like. Nick Jackson looks like someone we need to keep an eye on (he covered the field nicely).
o Nick Jackson: 6 tackles (6 solo) – 1 sack – 1 INT – 1 PD
o John Bullock: 2 tackles (2 solo) – 1 PD
o Antonio Grier: 3 tackles (2 solo)
o SirVocea Dennis: 2 tackles (1 solo)
What surprises me is that ALL of our ILBs are not only good-sized, but they’re all (except Deion Jones) almost exactly the same size (6’0″ – 6’1″ and 230 – 235 lbs). Bizarre.
o Lavonte David: 6’1″ & 233 lbs
o Anthony Walker: 6’1″ & 235 lbs
o Deion Jones: 6’1″ & 222 lbs
o SirVocea Dennis: 6’0″ & 230 lbs
o Antonio Grier: 6’1″ & 230 lbs
o Nick Jackson: 6”0″ & 235 lbs
o John Bullock: 6’0″ & 230 lbs
Awhile ago I thought that Anthony Walker would be a strong candidate for the starting MLB role, but now I’m not even sure he’ll make the team (no idea when he’ll be back). We’ll almost surely keep 4 ILBs: LVD, SVD & Deion Jones are locks IMO. So the other 4 are fighting for that last spot. Never know though, we may sign a different ILB when the roster cuts occur.
August 11th, 2025 at 9:41 am
Didn’t a DB drop an “in the hands” INT on the Titans TD drive? That is why Bowles screams about takeaways, especially when they’re in your hands.
August 11th, 2025 at 10:40 am
IF the injury thing is finally behind him. Dennis is going to be a fantastic LB.
August 12th, 2025 at 3:53 pm
Sirvocea will he a good starter. Elite coverage skills and high IQ