Emerging Defensive Lineman
September 30th, 2025
Rookie making an impact.
When the Bucs drafted Elijah Roberts in the fifth round out of SMU by way of Miami, Roberts was a sneaky good edge rusher.
Naturally, the Bucs can’t have that. Edge rushers have to be outside linebackers who must play like safeties (and safeties must play like edge rushers). So the Bucs hoped to turn Roberts into a Will Gholston/Logan Hall type of interior defensive lineman.
Pressed into duty with Calijah Kancey lost for the regular season (and we await word on Greg Gaines, who suffered a pec injury against the Eagles), the Bucs seem to be using Roberts’ pass rushing skills on the defensive line.
Imagine that.
Roberts against the Eagles had a tackle for loss. At Houston he and Lavonte David teamed up for a sack. Roberts also has two quarterback hits through four games. He only logged nine snaps in the season opener against the Dixie Chicks.
It seems there is a spark there and yesterday Bucs coach Todd Bowles praised Roberts.
“Elijah is coming on – he’s coming on well,” Bowles said. “Obviously, with the pass rush he’s coming along, but he’s coming along in the run game and he’s playing fast.”
Joe doesn’t expect a lot from a rookie but Joe hopes Bowles hasn’t yet eroded Roberts’ pass-rushing skills. In the big picture, it doesn’t appear Roberts is a huge dropoff from Gaines, who Joe thought was underrated (he was much more of a run-stuffer than a pass rusher).
Right now, the biggest impact Roberts can have is to stay on the field healthy. If he goes down, then the Bucs are looking at a fourth-string dude starting on the defensive line.
Not optimal for a team with real playoff hopes.
September 30th, 2025 at 1:31 pm
Both Elijahs’ have been kicking ssa, and Simmons is a keeper!!!
September 30th, 2025 at 1:37 pm
Better than Gaines, played a good game. Need him Seattle!!! Go Bucs
September 30th, 2025 at 1:44 pm
Been impressed with this kid and we need him! Bucs D needs to go to Seattle and continue on from the 2nd half vs Eagles. No excuses, Seahawks do not have Eagles OL.
In fact there is a video on social media of RG Anthony Bradford vs the Cardinals looking like the worst player in football. If you can find it on twitter go watch, it’s comical.
September 30th, 2025 at 1:52 pm
saskbucs
i saw that yesterday!!!!!
i wanted to send it to Vita!!!!!
been very impressed with e.roberts….would like to see him rushing from the edge more…
GO BUCS!!!!
September 30th, 2025 at 1:53 pm
But can he drop back and cover wide receivers?
September 30th, 2025 at 1:55 pm
I like Elijah Robert’s..still wondering how impactful.david walker would have been had he not got hurt dude was gonna be a menace for us
September 30th, 2025 at 2:27 pm
Yeah, Bowles seems Likely to Screw this kids head up JUST LIKE he HAS all the other hopefuls. I don’t think Bowles should be Anywhere near this kid if he’s going to have a future as a D lineman of ANY KIND! ESPECIALLY A ROOKIE!
The WORST TEAM to be drafted by if your a front line guy of Any team with Bowles in charge. HE SCREWS THEM UP BADLY…!
Look at JTS as the Perfect example of what Bowles IS GOING TO DO TO HIM. Poor kid
September 30th, 2025 at 2:40 pm
So glad he’s coming along real good….cant believe he was still there in the 5th, i think i was pushing for him in the 4th.
September 30th, 2025 at 2:47 pm
Can’t wait to the see the injury report for this week. Might be easier to list who ISN’T hurt.
September 30th, 2025 at 3:02 pm
obviousone
JTS is trash with the browns lol….
him being a bust is an “obvious one”
GO BUCS!!!!
September 30th, 2025 at 3:06 pm
The moment somebody mentions pass rusher skills. next game they will get in pass coverage.
September 30th, 2025 at 3:07 pm
Elijah Roberts is a dlineman so he won’t be dropping into coverage, so those pass rushing skills will be beneficial.
September 30th, 2025 at 3:14 pm
Everyone knows the best way to get more sack production out of your d line is to drop them into coverage. The opposing QBs get so bewildered by a DT and Edge rusher in coverage that they complete all of their passes.
I think QBs last season had like a 90% completion percentage when Vita Vea was in coverage. For those about to laugh I wish it was a joke but it’s not. I think JTS was our best in coverage and even the completion percentage against him was like 70%
September 30th, 2025 at 3:14 pm
Elijah Roberts made a bigger impact (and recorded more stats) in his first quarter of play than Kancey did in 2.5 games.
Joe, Ask Licht when he Braswell is going to have, “His coming out party?”
Did we misunderstand what “coming out” meant? If so, I’m good with it. I just thought it was more of a football coming out than the other thing.
September 30th, 2025 at 3:16 pm
Joe says:
Naturally, the Bucs can’t have that. Edge rushers have to be outside linebackers who must play like safeties (and safeties must play like edge rushers). So the Bucs hoped to turn Roberts into a Will Gholston/Logan Hall type of interior defensive lineman.
Joe, absolutely spot on. And to your point: it’s why the Bucs have been unable to develop edge rushers and linebackers that can cover the middle of the field.
September 30th, 2025 at 3:29 pm
The Cooter family will be sitting down tonight, eating roadkill, possum, and thinking what is the next Joebucsfan post that can filled with nonsense comments
September 30th, 2025 at 4:06 pm
WHERE’S BRASWELL???!!
Wasn’t this supposed to be his year? This is on mgt. Another living incarnation of JTS. But, the Bucs will keep him in the lineup and bench, taking up a roster slot just so we can all wait for him to show up. Then after 4 years quietly let him go post season.
Another in a long lineup of “can’t miss” DLs that the Bucs have kept needlessly.
September 30th, 2025 at 4:09 pm
Obvious One,
JTS has 5 tackles and zero sacks playing with Myles Garrett. What other D linemen has the Bucs drafted in the Bowles era that have gone on to other teams and been anything more than they were in Tampa? It’s very likely that until the Bucs draft a pass rusher inside the top 10 they will continue to struggle to find one that’s gonna put up double digits sacks for multiple seasons. It does happen but it’s rare. I was at camp and I really felt that Licht had finally beaten the odds drafting a dominate D-linemen outside the top10 with D. Walker . I watched some of his drills and he had a very very quick get off. Bucs may have finally found one drafting after the top 10-12. He was giving bit guard and Goedeke fits. Even Wirfs had his hands full.
September 30th, 2025 at 4:15 pm
Reminder:
Bucs defense tied for 6th in sacks in 2024
But, according to this Joe and a lot of monkey see monkey do posters, our coach is horrible at coaching the D-line and OLBs ?
If we got more sacks, specifically from the edge (which some think is somehow more important than sacks from other positions) but started giving up more yardage against the run then we’d really have something to cry about.
September 30th, 2025 at 4:43 pm
Lol did anyone notice Bucky caught his long TD against an edge rusher who was in coverage?
September 30th, 2025 at 5:55 pm
our new CB that will replace Dean
September 30th, 2025 at 6:28 pm
“Elijah Roberts is a dlineman so he won’t be dropping into coverage, so those pass rushing skills will be beneficial.“
Especially against NFL guards, he’s a mismatch on the outside and the fact he’s still developing but still showing this much promise in so little reps is very, very good. I wouldn’t want him on the edge, he’s good where he is coming right down the pike.
September 30th, 2025 at 6:37 pm
Next man up!!
September 30th, 2025 at 6:44 pm
“I think QBs last season had like a 90% completion percentage when Vita Vea was in coverage. For those about to laugh I wish it was a joke but it’s not. ”
I think it’s a joke until you show me some statistics or specific examples of Vita dropping into coverage and it resulting in completions.
Another non-issue that’s been beat to death.
As others have said before – dropping linemen and OLBs into coverage is not a Todd thing. It’s widespread throughout the league. It’s done to free up other rushers and it’s effective when done correctly.
The fact that Todd has a rookie (what round?) contributing and making an impact could (dare I say should) be reason to praise the defensive coaching staff but not with the Todd blowes crowd around here or this particular author 😔
September 30th, 2025 at 6:50 pm
@Beej
Jihad Campbell is a middle linebacker
September 30th, 2025 at 8:16 pm
Might have stumbled into a good lineman.
Hes better than Logan Hall. Better than Braswell.
Of coursr, that dont take much.
I think Roberts will have a bright future
September 30th, 2025 at 9:57 pm
He was somebody I really liked at SMU & I would’ve considered.
September 30th, 2025 at 10:02 pm
Apparently reptiles don’t require a functioning brain stem to take nourishment and type. At least the inane drivel still gets out to the general public for a good laugh.
September 30th, 2025 at 10:06 pm
LOL even in that quote you see one of the biggest issues with Bowles:
He holds back pass rushers if they’re not good enough against the run. Despite it being a passing league…
October 1st, 2025 at 2:29 pm
Hey Joe, you dudes need to keep an eye on your copy edits/proofreading. AT isn’t all its cracked up to be. Tired of the constant Bowles bashing from the usual yahoo bunch.