“This Defense Fits Me Like A Glove”
March 16th, 2026
Don’t be quick to say new Bucs veteran linebacker Alex Anzalone signed with Tampa Bay because he has a year-round home and deep roots in area, including his wife being from Pinellas County.
That was Anzalone’s message on radio.
Last week, the longtime Lions captain, joined WDAE radio and was adamant his wife was ready to move anywhere that became Anzalone’s next NFL stop. He also said four NFL teams were very serious about signing him and a big reason he chose the Bucs is because of how Todd Bowles will use him.
“This defense fits me like a glove. It’s really one of the biggest factors that played into this,” Anzalone said, adding he looks forward to blitzing more than he used to.
Joe loves Anzalone’s nine official passes defensed last season. Lavonte David hasn’t had that many since 2015.
Anzalone, who turns 32 in September, should still be in his prime this season. Bowles needs to figure out how to maximize his skills in a hurry.
March 16th, 2026 at 11:15 am
good to hear…
hopefully he can bring the “juice” licht, bowles and baker alluded to lol
GO BUCS!!!
March 16th, 2026 at 11:21 am
Sounds like we’re committed to blitzing vs developing any type of pass rush from our linemen….awesome! Can’t wait to see mediocre QBs run dink and dunk plays for career days.
March 16th, 2026 at 11:21 am
Justin Fields, just got traded to the Chiefs for a 6th rd pick, and we have Browning and a leprechaun for our QB’s JL is horrible, this qb, has every one on this team brainwashed, please don’t bring in any competition, I promise to do better, and I won’t get hurt…..then you wonder why, players are leaving!!! SAD!!!
March 16th, 2026 at 11:29 am
Random thought and I’m interested to know what you guys think. My biggest concern with losing Mike Evans is as a red zone target. How would you guys feel if we brought in Deandre Hopkins? He should be rather cheap, and his skill set is somewhat a mix of Mike Evans and Davante Adams. He’s only a year older than the 2. I think he could have a nice role and be a nice presence, especially in the red zone. What do you guys think?
March 16th, 2026 at 11:33 am
I like Anzalone, he’s a solid ILB
He had problems staying healthy with the Saints
But he’s been great with the Lions
But l think for this defense to work
We need a young, athletic, speedy ILB that can cover RBs in space
And l think Pitt ILB/SS Kyle Louis is the perfect player for that role
If we can get CB Delane or Terrell in the 1st round
And Louis in the 2nd round, our pass defense will improve Tenfold
March 16th, 2026 at 11:36 am
Bring in ANYBODY! They can’t be worse. Look at Reddick. Would we had been better if we never signed him? Who would have been better who is currently on the roster?
Ans. No one!
March 16th, 2026 at 11:39 am
I think the Bucs are going to draft a 6’5 Tight End good blocker but definitely has hands to catch and good for YAC – could be wrong but I think they are set at WR so Tight End 3rd round
March 16th, 2026 at 11:48 am
We have done so well with Pitt players. One can’t stay healthy, the other couldn’t stay healthy now cant play play to save his football life.
March 16th, 2026 at 11:50 am
Bowles can certainly help him learn how to eat six bowls of pasta with heaps of sausage sauce for three or four meals a day. That’s about the extent of it.
March 16th, 2026 at 11:59 am
I thought nobody wanted to play in our defense or for Bowles, interesting.
March 16th, 2026 at 12:04 pm
Scotty,
The reason Kancey can’t stay healthy
He’s wayyy too small for his position, he’s not a 3-4 DE
That was a poor decision to draft him to play DE in a 3-4 defense
He has speed true enough, but a 3-4 DE need weight, upper body strength
And Kancey don’t have either, he’s a speedy 4-3 3-Tech at best
March 16th, 2026 at 12:12 pm
“He’s wayyy too small for his position, he’s not a 3-4 DE
That was a poor decision to draft him to play DE in a 3-4 defense”
Literally plays 3 tech and 4i in our 4-man alignments
also plays the 5 in our bear front with a NT, 2 DTs flanked by 2 OLBs
which is why looking at our alignments just as what the base D, and not accounting for sub-packages is a short-sighted way to look at our personnel
March 16th, 2026 at 12:24 pm
Encouraging.
March 16th, 2026 at 12:30 pm
RBuc
They paid Otton and Ko. No TEs coming unless they replace Durham late or with UDFA.
March 16th, 2026 at 12:32 pm
I get all that Warren Brooks Lynch
But the “Ideal” 3-4 DE is 6’4 310 lbs
Kancey is 6’0 280 lbs
The only package that fit Kancey is a 4-3 defense
His best fit in a 3-4:defense is OLB at best
March 16th, 2026 at 12:33 pm
Good attitude now…….
March 16th, 2026 at 12:35 pm
You stand Kancey next to A’Shawn Robinson
Kancey looks like a CB stand next to A’Shawn
March 16th, 2026 at 12:42 pm
where is lavonte…
and what’s up with the radio silence
March 16th, 2026 at 12:50 pm
“Lakeland Says:
March 16th, 2026 at 11:33 am
I like Anzalone, he’s a solid ILB
He had problems staying healthy with the Saints
But he’s been great with the Lions
But l think for this defense to work
We need a young, athletic, speedy ILB that can cover RBs in space
And l think Pitt ILB/SS Kyle Louis is the perfect player for that role
If we can get CB Delane or Terrell in the 1st round
And Louis in the 2nd round, our pass defense will improve Tenfold”
Won’t help at all without a pass rush. Secondary gets better when QBs don’t sit in the pocket all day, with enough time to order a pizza.
March 16th, 2026 at 12:56 pm
“Warren Brooks Lynch Says:
March 16th, 2026 at 11:59 am
I thought nobody wanted to play in our defense or for Bowles, interesting.”
The fact that his wife is from here and he has a home here was a bigger factor. He has to say all the right things right now, and he knows it.
March 16th, 2026 at 1:04 pm
No reason not to move Kancey to edge. They need one anyway and he can’t be worse than Reddick. He might need those cornerback skills though Lakeland.
March 16th, 2026 at 1:20 pm
“But the “Ideal” 3-4 DE is 6’4 310 lbs
Kancey is 6’0 280 lbs”
Well Kancey was drafted to play 3-tech in 4-man alignments, not 3-4 DE.
The ideal 3-4 DE in our system is just a DE in name.
Our OLBs are the ones that set the edge, and play contain.
Kancey is a gap shooting DT.
Guys like Gholston, Hall, and now Roberts are 2-gappers. The fit 3-4 DE physical mold, but we also play them in aligments with 4 defensive linemen the OLB.
Pretty certain that’s how A’Shawn Robinson will be used, he’s not going to be asked to set the edge, because our OLBs do that.
Same way Bowles did it with Calaias Campbell and Tommy Kelly in AZ who also shared a field with Darnell Dockett.
Did the same thing in NY with Sheldon Richardson AND Leonard Williams in NY. Tried to get it out of Akiem Hicks here, best example of taking a guy who’d be a 4-3 DE otherwise and playing him inside is Will Gholston. So when you hear of our fronts being hybridized, that’s part of it.
Vita lines up over OGs, he’s listed as an NT, but also plays under and over given the alignment. It’s simple, yet complicated apparently
March 16th, 2026 at 1:21 pm
“The fact that his wife is from here and he has a home here was a bigger factor. He has to say all the right things right now, and he knows it.”
I listened to the interview, that’s part of it, but not ALL of went into his decision and Anzalone said as much.
March 16th, 2026 at 1:31 pm
I read that Miami signed Charlie Heck
March 16th, 2026 at 1:38 pm
I don’t know about this guy, the more I read, the less I like. The issue is speed, and more and more I see people, who like him, say he’s clearly lost a step and can’t keep up with RBs and TEs.
Also the fact that Lions fans were pretty mixed in their response of him leaving is another concern. About half of them said good – he was able to cover guys and was missing tackles, and the other half just said generic stuff like they’re sorry he’s gone, he was a good leader, all the nonsense that doesn’t really matter. When you sign a guy and get 100 puff pieces on him, you want the opposing team fans to be really angry and upset that player left, and saying they’re going to cancel their season tickets, etc – and I literally haven’t seen a single comment saying that.
Not saying I’m down on the signing – and I’m not going to just look for him to screw up once so I can say “TOLD YA,” but having some balance is OK, not everyone we get should be the greatest signing every.
March 16th, 2026 at 1:44 pm
The defense always fits like a glove until the “miscommunications” happen. He doesn’t seem like a sideline to sideline guy or else he wouldn’t have been available so he’s probably just a guy. Which makes sense for the Bucs cause thats all they can afford right now, just guys.
Be honest. Unless the Bucs sign 11 future HoFers on defense, it won’t matter. The league has Bowles figured out.
March 16th, 2026 at 1:54 pm
“He doesn’t seem like a sideline to sideline guy or else he wouldn’t have been available so he’s probably just a guy. Which makes sense for the Bucs cause that’s all they can afford right now, just guys.”
Anzalone has been rated as on of the better coverage LBs the last few seasons, and was literally brought in to help us improve in that regard. It’s literally one of the first things that comes up just googling his name