Elijah Roberts Has Plugged A Hole
October 25th, 2025
Legit starter says Todd Bowles.
Joe has a hunch if you asked Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht about giving up a draft pick to rent a player for a three-month playoff run, Licht would point to Elijah Roberts as a reason he doesn’t want a rental.
The rookie defensive tackle has played in every game this year. Drafted out of SMU in the fifth round, Roberts was pressed into duty when Calijah Kancey was lost likely for the regular season with a torn pec in Week 2 against Houston.
On Monday, Roberts recovered a fumble at Detroit. He has two half-sacks (yes, that adds up to one sack but it was two different plays in two different games).
Bucs coach Todd Bowles seems pretty happy with how Roberts has developed.
“He is really understanding the system and getting comfortable and then applying that to his ability in already knowing how to play,” Bowles said. “He is really settling in down there.
“[He is] using his hands a lot more, he is bringing his feet with him. He is one of our slipperiest guys down there.”
Bowles was then asked if he thought Roberts was a qualified starter in his defense. Bowles didn’t hesitate.
“I do.”
This is the rock and a hard place Licht finds himself in. If he trades for a rental, is he positive that player can push the Bucs over the top and get them to Santa Clara, where the Super Bowl will be held in Feb. 8?
Or would Licht be giving away a future good, solid, young and cheap player for the next four years by basically borrowing the neighbor’s unwanted lawn mower?
Ira Kaufman Talks Doug Martin, Trade Deadline Priorities, Final Lions Thoughts, Saints-Bucs Predictions, And More
October 25th, 2025 at 10:02 am
Roberts is a stud. Looks like a great draft pick.
October 25th, 2025 at 10:16 am
We all know if we didn’t have the injury epidemic we wouldn’t have any discussion about trades. Offensive line, Bucky, Mike, Chris, McMillan, Kancey and let’s be honest Reddick being a ghost on sacks has hurt us. Are chances of Super Bowl have taken a hit and I’m not sure 1-2 trades will make up for it.
October 25th, 2025 at 10:22 am
Roberts is a tackle. Bucs still need to rent an edge rusher.
But yes, Roberts has stepped up. He is a fast learner and a smart player. When you are drafting at 5 or higher, the smart ones have the greatest chance of success.
October 25th, 2025 at 10:33 am
Roberts is the one who missed his gap and gave up the 78 yd touchdown against the Lions. The cost of having to play rookies. Bowles took the heat for the blunder but Roberts will develop into a solid DT with experience.
October 25th, 2025 at 10:35 am
Good news. Don’t trade him. That’s just stupid. I’m not even thinking SB. I just want to beat NOLA soundly and get to the Bye. Go Bucs!!
October 25th, 2025 at 10:37 am
In a 3-4 offense he is a tackle. But in a 4-3 offense as he was at SMU he was a defensive end with double digit sacks. And the best in the division.
He is the real deal, and will keep getting better. And make you forget all about Logan Hall.
October 25th, 2025 at 10:37 am
Ronde called him out on his show. It was gap that allowed the 78 yard touchdown run.
October 25th, 2025 at 10:42 am
I trust Licht’s draft picks more than I do his FA choices……
Let’s sit with the players we have & wait for injured players to return…
October 25th, 2025 at 10:42 am
You know, you can trade players instead of picks. As much as we hate to hear it, I’d start shopping Godwin. His potential is starting to exceed his practical at this point. Sure he was having a career yr before the injury last yr and that is the only reason he has value right now. Team like NE, would be lucky to have him if the make a playoff run and teams like NYG could shelve him for next yr when he is fully recovered. His hometown contract, potential, and amazing resume make him a valuable trade commodity. But Licht is a homer who falls in love with each of his hand selected bruised hot house tomatoes, so the window will close unless a strong daddy figure like BA kicks him in the @$$ to jump in the FA market. Todd ain’t that figure. He likely had to whine his way for what the league perceived as damaged goods, Mayfield
October 25th, 2025 at 10:50 am
Bucfan … Detroit has some studs on their OLine. I saw Vea get blocked out of his gap more than once that game. Roberts wasn’t alone.
Our defense this year has surrendered 175 points (25 PPG), although we all know that the S/Ts group owns 14 of those points (so our defense is really giving up 23 PPG average). And interestingly we’ve been relatively consistent around that number for all but 1 game.
But our strength under Todd Bowles has always been Run Defense, but so far this year we’ve slipped to a #11 ranking (giving up 693 yards rushing or 99 YPG average). Strange thing is that we’ve made tons of excellent run stops (including 45 TFLs), but we’ve also given up a number of explosive run plays. To me, any rush of 10 yards or more is the kiss of death. We’ll need to do a lot better to go anywhere in the playoffs.
October 25th, 2025 at 10:56 am
jcscycles … I agree with you that Roberts is really a DE (and I think he’s better suited to the 4-3 defense). But I feel the same way about Logan Hall (nice size for a 4-3 DE but undersized IMO playing inside in the 3-4). And yes, I still feel the same way about Kancey (undersized for inside).
We NEED at least 1 more beast to complement (and ultimately replace) Vita Vea. That’d allow us to do a lot better at generating an interior pass rush and maintaining gap control.
October 25th, 2025 at 10:58 am
Don’t do it. Don’t trade for somebody. Play with what you got.
October 25th, 2025 at 10:59 am
Speaking of Interior linemen.. where has Logan Hall been this year?
October 25th, 2025 at 11:01 am
ChiBuc, you seem very angry. Take a blow. You ain’t a GM and you never will be. You’re not even a good fan.
October 25th, 2025 at 11:08 am
Halls replacement, he won’t be back next year. Roberts will be solid. Need to add another DT with Kancey always injured. Id be picking up the phone and seeing what packages the raiders would consider for Maxx Crosby which includes Kancey. Could always add another DT next year.
October 25th, 2025 at 11:17 am
I think Jason would rent if the Bucs were a one loss team at the bye. It’s not just the record, Eagles and Lion’s were deemed playoff favorites since preseason. They controlled those games for big portions.(Second half Eagles debatable) Tampa’s wins have been last minute and never really put a game away. Not to discredit anything so far, half the team is injured and I have been entertained.
October 25th, 2025 at 11:18 am
problem is licht and bowles dont know how to draft edge rushers.
October 25th, 2025 at 11:21 am
Right on Defense Rules. Hall always looks lost in this defense. He never has really seeemed to grasp it.
October 25th, 2025 at 11:24 am
Both Elijahs have performed well to my eyes. Never fear, now Todd will work on their versatility. Since Reddick isn’t out there to drop back into coverage 60% of the time, Todd will start dropping Roberts. The element of surprise!!! No one will expect it. It’s genius.
The usual Bowles Rookie Regression is coming.
October 25th, 2025 at 11:36 am
Hey ModHair, don’t project your world view onto me. Your weak argument , “You ain’t a GM,” is played out and a typical lame argument, err lack of argument that is rife with fallacious argument tactics. Note how you don’t address my content and instead choose to attack me, which is a clear sign that you are void of content and are the person with a frustrated and angry world view. Likely because you are dim-witted and have difficulty following slightly abstract views. It scares you so you lash out with argumentive fallacies in a hope to garner support to buy your absent position (or lack of creative thought….”Don’t trade for somebody. Play with what you got.”).
If you’re interested, I can outline the 10 Argument Fallacies you violated when you so astutely pointed out that I am not a GM, and very wrongly claimed that I am not a fan. However, I sincerely doubt that you are mature enough to admit your errors and grow from it, so why bother
October 25th, 2025 at 11:37 am
If Simmons was made available for third or fourth I’d have a very hard time not making that deal.
If the offense can keep itself on the field I don’t have any worries about the defense being good enough to win 12 game as is. But as others have stated if we’re looking for a defense to come up with a critical stop in January, I’m still a bit concerned.
If Kancey was in there generating pressure and sacks I don’t think it would be an issue. Having another tackle to generate pressure will help Diaby and the other rusher.
Agree on Roberts being a real find. Along with ZM Jason has proven to be a real late gem finder.
October 25th, 2025 at 11:53 am
Licht has been a master at playing the long game, developing talent. And the occasional home run FA signing (Brady, Lenny, Shaq, etc.). But there comes a time to strike while the iron is hot. The window is open, let’s do what it takes to plug the holes for this run!
October 25th, 2025 at 11:59 am
At some point, it’s not the players, it’s the defense. Bowles has been here six years and everybody still figuring out the defense.
Just run a straight 4-3 and be done with all this dropping rushers in coverage mumbo jumbo
Most of the time teams are running 4-2-5 anyway.
October 25th, 2025 at 12:07 pm
Oxy
Problem is Bowles drops them in coverage.
October 25th, 2025 at 12:19 pm
Makes me wonder how much different it would be with David Walker…
October 25th, 2025 at 12:50 pm
ChiBuc you and Ironlung should have lunch you would make a cute couple.
October 25th, 2025 at 1:14 pm
They should let him rush off the edge more like he did in college.
October 25th, 2025 at 1:42 pm
@Woodman, you make a lovely Yenta; however, I’ve been happily married for almost thirty years.
You clearly have nothing to add to the conversation, but think you are coming off as clever with a futile and childish insult. Weak. I suggest you play dress up and match maker with your dolls, so you can remain lord and master of your domain
October 25th, 2025 at 1:44 pm
And I say clearly, bc your only comment is on this thread is a weak attempt to insult. You do not address the post or any comments’ content
October 25th, 2025 at 2:04 pm
Maybe we should scrap the 3-4 entirely, since folks don’t like OLBs to drop into coverage and complain why they aren’t setting the edge, because they want to pretend the 3-4 is always predicated on OLBs being 100% edge rushers. In a 4-3 we know DEs are the edge and won’t drop into cover like true off-ball LBs. However when Tampa was at the pinnacle playing in a 4-3, we also knew our OLBs dropped into coverage all the time, and the occasional blitzer would likely come from the SAM (strong-side backer) with the Mike dropping deep in the middle in our 2-deep shell and the Will free to make big plays following the flow of the offense.
In an ideal 4-3, LVD plays the Will (that is where he played most of his career), SVD is probably a SAM and we need to manufacture a Mike, cuz we don’t have a true difference making tackle machines at MLB (Nickerson, Quarles) and I know we play nickel a lot due to the league’s current love affair will 11 personnel groups. By snap count, it sounds like we play 2-4-5 instead of 3-3-5, favoring pulling an interior lineman instead of a OLB. Traditionally in Monte Kiffin’s 4-3 Tampa 2 base scheme we usually kept the Will and Mike on the field and sat replaced the Sam. 4-3 backers how played them, weren’t ever sexy edge players, but all-around good (if not great) defensive players that played both the run and pass effectively (at least WLB and MLB).
We already have DE (Roberts, Hall) personnel suited for a 4-3, its just someone like Diaby or Reddick they need to decide if he would be an edge or we keep him upright at the Sam, playing SVD at Will and LVD at Mike (although I don’t think he was ever suited to play MLB long-term) for this season? Diaby’s size (270) is comparable to Simeon Rice so he can be edge opposite of Roberts/Hall, and Reddick (240) is too light to stay on the line and probably more suited at the SAM spot. I never thought we ever had the right personnel to play the 3-4 and plus most of the worst years in our history is due to playing in that crappy defense.
October 25th, 2025 at 2:46 pm
Tell Ronde I have a couple of clips on him allowing TDS
October 25th, 2025 at 3:14 pm
A rookie blowing a big plays is going to happen sometimes because the other team is quite often scheming to make it happen. But, the rookie is probably going to learn.
The defense was vey good against Detroit.
Parrish, another rookie, gave up another big play immediately after he as victimized with an illegal contact penalty that appears to be unjustified from the viewpoints I have seem already.
Except for three? big plays, I am not sure Detroit would scored a touchdown in that game. And, the breakdown on play calling on the Offense really betrayed the Defense.
This defense should improve as the rookies gain experience. But, that means you must play the rookies, and the other teams will target them while they are in the learning process which comes with a price for the Bucs while promising dividends; it is a necessary and prudent investment.
October 25th, 2025 at 3:29 pm
1 of our picks against San Fran was due to Greg Gaines dropping into coverage and taking away CMC on the short slant (option play for CMC I think). 😳
I’ve yet to have a single person give a single example of dropping linemen into coverage hurting the team.
And with all due respect to some of our posters, Todd is unlikely to switch to a 4-3 scheme.
Linemen dropping into zones is not a Todd thing. It’s the modern NFL.
October 25th, 2025 at 3:34 pm
It’s not a “Todd thing” but the amount of times a lineman drops is very much a “Todd thing.”
And yeah, Joe would rather have linemen dominate, you know, the line? Weird, right? Not against guys dropping but very much for rushing the passer.
You act like a 34 defense is something novel and innovative. It’s been in use in the NFL since the 1960s.
October 25th, 2025 at 6:06 pm
Hey ChiBuc, who RU? I’ve read your kind of stupid crap for years. Since when have you come on board? You are no Bucs fan, so get lost. Bucs have a game tomorrow afternoon in NOLA. Hopefully, the refs will lay off. Be nice to honestly see the better team win. GO BUCS!!
October 25th, 2025 at 9:27 pm
I love the draft strategy and the signing of certain free agents. I have no doubt JL is trying to get a pro bowler for a 6th and a pick swap 😂
October 26th, 2025 at 2:34 am
Roberts has been a great surprise. Especially for a rookie. A strong dude who seems to go 100% every snap. Love it!
Go Bucs!
October 26th, 2025 at 3:16 am
I knew I saw something watching his film…and I was thinking 4th, but he was still there in the 5th….steal of the draft imo for a 5th. Keep it up Elijah 🙂
October 26th, 2025 at 8:29 am
I agree with Jason Licht for the most part in keeping draft capital. No team the last 5 years has built better through the draft than the Bucs. (Although a really good argument can be made for the Eagles and what Howie Grossman has done).
That being said… if Bradley Chubb is available for a 3rd, I’d pull the trigger on that in a heart beat. A legit pass rusher opposite of Yaya would make this defense exponentially better.
October 26th, 2025 at 8:39 am
Licht will not make an in season trade. Bet the ranch.