Alex Anzalone Right At Home With Bucs
March 13th, 2026
New Bucs ILB Alex Anzalone.
Doubtful you will hear the Warchant cry at Alex Anzalone’s home. Or hear someone scream, “C-A-N-E-S CANES.”
Anzalone, the Bucs’ new inside linebacker, may have grown up in Wyomissing, Pa., but Anzalone has lived in Tampa since college, where he was a Gators star linebacker. Anzalone met his wife at Florida, Lindsey. She played soccer for the Gators. They married and put down roots in Tampa.
There’s more: Anzalone’s dad, Sal, went to medical school at Florida. He practices medicine in Naples.
Still more: Lindsey is from Seminole and played soccer at Clearwater Central Catholic. Her brother was a star receiver at the school and he, too, dominated as a Gators receiver.
You may have heard of him: Riley Cooper. He was also a receiver for six years with the Eagles and helped the Gators win a national title with Urban Meyer.
When Anzalone met with the local pen and mic club today, he professed his love for the area and seemed to suggest he feels a responsibility to the community to represent the Bucs in a strong way.
“I’m passionate about this city,” Anzalone said.
Ah, passion. It is something Anzalone packs and it’s also something this Bucs defense sorely needs, maybe as much as an edge rusher. Anzalone brings juice!
And it is almost like he’s a part of the Bucs family. He trains regularly with Vita Vea and Antoine Winfield. Anzalone said that he made sure to FaceTime with Vea just before he signed his Bucs contract.
So there’s really no more true blue (and orange) Florida family than the Anzalones. It’s almost like Anzalone doesn’t want to embarrass his adopted hometown and state.
March 13th, 2026 at 12:05 am
I like this move. He’s gonna make the Putrid Pass Defense better. I mean could it be any worse?
March 13th, 2026 at 12:27 am
I said it before. The lions are one of the most physical teams in the league. I really do HOPE – JOES FAV WORD – he brings that physicallity with him and the new pass rushers as well. 3 new defensive starters. Didn’t break the bank either. They are all a little long in the tooth. Wish they were younger but hey an another draft like 2019 and this defense could be way diff. Trey got a lot of money and he might be damage goods and we saw what happened with Crosby itll be worth watching both those guys and Chubb to see if Jason made the right call
March 13th, 2026 at 12:28 am
I have always thought he was a really good linebacker with the Saints and Lions…He will bring some energy to this dead defense and some wood as well!
March 13th, 2026 at 12:38 am
Love the dude. He has the aging process and the team whose coaches did everything they could and still lost. Lots to overcome.
March 13th, 2026 at 1:20 am
Explains why Anzalone decided to take the Bucs offer over more coin. I like the signing and hopefull he will make an impact in an area where the Bucs were exposed so often with SVD/LVD & Company last year but he is not going to be a glass eating edge rusher which the Bucs still need in the worst way and in the secondary, it is scary to think Todd is banking on Zyon and Benji Morrison to be solid starting corners…… Alot of holes to fill but this is a good play, nice signing, the Bucs just need 5 or 6 more of them on D and perhaps some depth on OL.
March 13th, 2026 at 1:29 am
He’s committed himself publicly. He might just be that spark, working with a couple of draftees, to help turn this ship around.
March 13th, 2026 at 2:03 am
Wait – didn’t he have a wicked head of hair? Who’s the clean cut crew cut dude at the top of the page.
March 13th, 2026 at 2:21 am
3.28.Evans, he has it in a man bun.
Now that I have moved on from grieving, solid signing.
Bring a spark please.
March 13th, 2026 at 3:03 am
This is a gravity signing like Brady. It’s not as high magnitude, of course, but it seems to be sucking Detroit defensive talent at a prime rate for the Bucs to Tampa thus far.
Let vested veteran defensive tackle DJ Reader follow suit and Bowles’ might hav some pieces to redeem himself with. I stumped for the Bucs to sign him for his coverage skills but the notion that he could bring some more juice beyond his own play didn’t occur to me until the Muhammad signing. Detroit is purging a lot of front 7 talent.
March 13th, 2026 at 3:08 am
Gotta give Licht props — after a couple years of ‘Let’s bring back the gang’ free agencies, Licht has upgraded this roster with some skill and size and passion and experience. And he’s let guys walk who quite possible are taking some negativity and frustration with them. And I don’t think he’s done. Hard to say he wants to tank it all and rebuild in 2027 with a new QB/Coach, as one narrative suggests.
March 13th, 2026 at 3:13 am
FortMyersDave .., ‘it is scary to think Todd is banking on Zyon and Benji Morrison to be solid starting corners’.
There’s apparently been a lot going on behind the scenes that’s now gotten me intrigued about what the Bucs are doing. Bowles seemingly wanted to get younger, bigger, more physical & more productive, plus improve veteran leadership. The additions on defense thus far seem to have done that …
o ILB Alex Anzalone: 6’3″ & 234 lbs … age 31
o DT A’Shawn Robinson: 6’3″ & 320 lbs … age 31 (shortly)
o DE/OLB Al-Quadin Muhammad: 6’3″ & 250 lbs … age 30
o S Miles Killebrew: 6’2″ & 222 lbs … age 32
I’d anticipate that the first 3 will be starters this season, or at least key rotational players who get a lot of def snaps. Together the first 3 missed only ONE game last season, so even though they’re older, durability hasn’t been an issue.
This sets us up nicely for the draft IMO. In the Top-4 Rnds, grab a beastly NT/DT, a starter-capable ILB, a starter-capable CB and maybe an Edge (that one’s still debatable though because if we beef up the interior DLine even more, the Edges we’ve got under contract may well have banner years).
Our Secondary needs work. We need to add a quality CB because neither McCollum nor Morrison had a great 2025 and their availability sucked (together missed 11 games). IF we have a good draft, this defense could very well surprise a lot of people.
March 13th, 2026 at 3:28 am
The Bucs lost Evans when the lost the division, so I can’t hold that against for THIS offseason.
And, humiliating Dean last season and seeing him leave for a bargain $36M over 3 years with only one year’s salary guaranteed is, again, something that I can’t hold against the Bucs THIS offseason.
That said, the moves that the Bucs have made since the legal tampering period began look quite good to me given the money they had to spend. What they do in the draft make them a contender or a goat.
I don’t see a surefire franchise player at #15 in the first round. Given the number of needs on defense, and the less than stellar results of some previous draft selections, I suspect that the Bucs should trade back for as many Day 2 picks as possible and hope to get lucky.
The Bucs greatest need is on the DL, because inside pressure is the best pressure – it beats edge pressure all to Hell and gone. With Kancey mostly MIA, Vea’s odometer turning and – who else? – on the DL, it needs help now!
DL need is followed in a photo finish by ILB/OLB with CB reassurance and a clone of Mike Evans probably out of reach.
This draft has a lot of depth and and just as much uncertainty through four rounds at DL, ILB and OLB.
If draft pick points could be treated like cash, I would say cash in the 315 points for pick 15, buy 2nd round picks 21, 22, and 23; use the picks in the first four rounds to double up at DL, ILB and Edge and hope that something works.
As it is, only Chicago has even two second round picks.
Looking at draft capital, Houston and Pittsburgh are the teams who look like they have the draft capital to trade up if they really wanted someone at 15.
For instance, with Houston, the Rich Hill pick trade numbers would work for this trade:
The Bucs give up 1st round #15 (315 pts.) & 2nd round #46 (128 pts.); and 4th round #15 (26 pts.) 469 points in total.
The Bucs get 1st round #28 (209 pts.), 2nd round #38 (157 pts.), third round pick #69 ((71 pts.), and 4th round pick #6; (32 pts.); 469 points in total.
The Bucs end up with the 28th pick in the 1st round, the sixth pick in the 2nd round, the 5th and 13th picks in the third round, the 6th pick in the 4th round, and their 5th, 6th, and 7th round picks are unchanged.
I would use the first and second round picks for DL and ILB, and the two 3rd and one fourth round pick for two OLB’s and another DL or ILB.
Use the late picks for CB and a tall WR.
The Bucs should be in decent shape if any of the picks work out.
March 13th, 2026 at 3:33 am
@ Defense Rules,
You posted while I was typing my comment that follows your
, but I am on your wave length.
Anything along the lines of what you suggest would be steps in the right direction.
March 13th, 2026 at 3:37 am
capebuc … ‘Hard to say he wants to tank it all and rebuild in 2027 with a new QB/Coach, as one narrative suggests.’
I’m convinced that Todd Bowles is on a year-to-year contract, but then again, so is just about every other HC in the NFL. That’s the nature of the beast.
Also convinced that 2026 is a ‘show me’ year for Baker Mayfield. In various games over the past 2 years, we’ve seen the very good Baker and the meh Baker. Question remains … ‘What Baker will we see THIS year?’ Is he someone we can build around? Jury’s still out on that one.
I don’t think the Bucs’ hierarchy ever intended to ‘tank’ in the traditional sense of the word. The bigger question in my mind is ‘Are we doing those things that’ll help us win the NFC South, be competitive in the playoffs, and MAYBE win the Super Bowl’?
When free agency started & we let several quality starters go, I felt like the Bucs were willing to settle for just an average, break-even season (not ‘tanking’ in the traditional sense, but more like ‘settling for average’). We weren’t making any really quality additions that said ‘We’re Super Bowl bound’. But given what we’ve added (offensively, defensively AND S/Ts) and what I HOPE we’ll focus on in the draft (DEFENSE), I think this team CAN be competitive in the NFC South. Especially IF the offense stays healthy. I feel a lot more optimistic today about our chances than I was a week ago.
March 13th, 2026 at 4:20 am
One year!
March 13th, 2026 at 4:45 am
Im sorry, forgive me guys….having a moment. Im hoping he turns things around with this inept todd D.
March 13th, 2026 at 4:54 am
We will get great Baker and of course we can build around him as long as the offensive line is intact. It was like varsity vs. JV watching team’s defensive tackles vs. our guards last year! It wasn’t even fair. We *definitely* need to improve our backup linemen!
March 13th, 2026 at 6:25 am
Everyone we had on defense were draft players, we have not spent any money on defense past 5 years. They have established starters coming over to join the team with experience. I know no one likes Todd but he is replacing 5-6 starters on defense were draft picks or low end free agents. Hall, Gaines, Reddick, JTS, Dean, LD (will retire), SVD (dissapointment). At least they are spending some money on defense and special teams good to see. Cause of 3-28 was front line we had none.
March 13th, 2026 at 6:43 am
Great take by DR. I have been a Bowles critic but Jason has been bringing some new leaders into the fold as last year it did look like Bowles was tuned out which might be why Izien was not tendered and the depth chart will likely look a lot different this fall. Still need help at edge, LB and corner though and Buc fans need to hope that Winfield returns to form. I worry a lot about Zyon, he might have got paid too soon and became a big part of the problems on D. Weren’t there rumors about people yelling in the Buc locker room about loafers getting “paid” on the same night Evans had his 3rd and 28 rant? That had to be Zyon and possibly Winfield….
March 13th, 2026 at 7:03 am
So how long does it take all these new starters to learn the Einstein theory of relativity defense that the guru insists on running?
March 13th, 2026 at 7:09 am
He looks more like Fabio than anything else. I hope he can still play, because he was a beast against us.
If he doesn’t play well, however, I reserve the right to say (in Fabio’s fashion…)
I CAN’T BELIEVE HE’S NOT BETTER!
Get it? Like butter? I can’t believe it’s not… Nevermind.
March 13th, 2026 at 7:11 am
He didn’t cut his locks did he ??
March 13th, 2026 at 8:39 am
It looks like a good pick up for the BUCS. He brings the juice for sure plus if he hasn’t suddenly lost his step he’s a quick to the ball Lber who brings attitude at the point of contact. His familiarity with the new Bucs Edge rusher should pay off early on. If the new Offensive coaches can get the Bucs offense to around 30 pts. per game that should give the Defense time to put itself togather.. if it turns out real well for the Pewter Pirate’s our only down side may be getting rid of Bowzo. Go BUCS!!!!
March 13th, 2026 at 8:42 am
Maybe he can talk Aiden Hutchinson into coming to Tampa. If he does, EDGE problem solved. That is until TB has Hutchinson covering WR’s downfield.
March 13th, 2026 at 8:43 am
I am with you on the interior D-line build, have to be solid up the middle, been saying it. You can get to the passer from anywhere on the D from the hand in the dirt guy to the backers, just do it regularly. I don’t think they are done letting guys go yet that screwed the pooch, and maybe letting some other guys know what won’t be tolerated anymore. I think Morrison will be just fine, he needed to heal up cause he flashed as a playmaker and a hitter at the end of the season. Zyon needs to wake up and Winfield needs to rebound as well.
March 13th, 2026 at 8:49 am
This is a good start, but the Bucs need way more on the field leaders to slap the quit out of this team. Licht, please stay away from these money grabbers and prima donnas.
March 13th, 2026 at 8:50 am
Hate to say this, but I’m not seeing how we sign these people after giving $22 million to Mike. As it IS, had to restructure Goedeke and Zyon
March 13th, 2026 at 9:00 am
Gipper Says:
March 13th, 2026 at 8:42 am
Maybe he can talk Aiden Hutchinson into coming to Tampa. If he does, EDGE problem solved. That is until TB has Hutchinson covering WR’s downfield.
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I’d have a better chance of Taylor Swift at my door in a whip cream bikini happening then the Bucs getting Aiden Hutchinson. lol Madden football on Xbox much? 🙂
March 13th, 2026 at 9:56 am
Hey Gbobucsfan, that was my first reaction too.
March 13th, 2026 at 11:49 am
Defense your spot on with. Baker. He’s very inconsistent unfortunately. Will have MVP type play then fall towards Winston type plays just some one head mistakes. That’s bin baker since he got here. After this long I think that’s just who he is. But when coen was here that was his best season. Still had some bad games but his stats were good and we won 10 games.
March 13th, 2026 at 1:35 pm
Finally a White player on D that actually cares about playing.
March 14th, 2026 at 1:56 am
Good stuff Joe! That one made me wanna do a Rick Flair Wrasslin Whooo!
Go Bucs!