Injury Concerns For Bucs’ Second-Round Pick Josiah Trotter
April 24th, 2026
Last year the Bucs drafted a wounded cornerback in Round 2.
For the second year in a row, the front office has not been scared off by a second-round pick’s injury history.
Tonight, the Bucs selected inside linebacker Josiah Trotter out of the University of Missouri. Per USA Today, Trotter has the following injury/no-show history at 21 years old.:
- 2025: “Minor” knee injury in regular season finale with surgery.
- 2024: Opted out of bowl due to transfer.
- 2023: Missed season with ACL.
- High school: MCL injury.
Trotter was a heck of a player last season in the SEC, and he’s a beast against the run. Is he healthy? The details of his season-ending knee surgery are unclear, but it supposedly resulted in a minor procedure.
The Bucs once drafted a cornerback with a long history of knee injuries. That was Jamel Dean, and he turned out to be pretty good, and a Super Bowl starter. Joe hopes the Bucs’ medical staff is on its A-game.
April 24th, 2026 at 8:24 pm
Oh boy.
April 24th, 2026 at 8:24 pm
An run defender LB from the SEC — like KJ Britt!
I kid, I kid.
I hope.
April 24th, 2026 at 8:25 pm
Not a clean sheet
April 24th, 2026 at 8:25 pm
Unbelievable. Just more of the same failing formula. watch 5 min of tape of Trotter and then watch 5 min of tape of Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (6’4) safety and tell me who the better player is. Wild
April 24th, 2026 at 8:26 pm
Man bring back Devin White …
We really let the panthers beat us 😂
We so trash Mike Evans left us for the 49ers
Bring in new leadership
April 24th, 2026 at 8:26 pm
WE PASSES ON CJ ALLEN????!?
W.T ACTUAL F.
April 24th, 2026 at 8:26 pm
Gutsy call, I guess. Allen and Hill would have been good but we’ll see.
Dolphins fans must be happy with Zack Thomas 2.0.
April 24th, 2026 at 8:27 pm
Incompetence at its finest. You just cant justify this. U cant. Idc u cant justify picking this guy. Whyyyy
April 24th, 2026 at 8:29 pm
KJ Britt Jr. just selected by our Bucs!! It’s a Bucs Life Fo Show
April 24th, 2026 at 8:29 pm
Why?
April 24th, 2026 at 8:30 pm
CJ Allen will be way better in the NFL than Trotter, I think.
Also, Mesidor too will prob be better than Bain.
Lol, we got fools gold
Hopefully, I’m wrong.
April 24th, 2026 at 8:35 pm
This is honestly the Owners fault for allowing this regime to continue. The Panthers and the Saints are going to blow this team out.
April 24th, 2026 at 8:36 pm
Britt was really slow. Trotter is faster and a great tackler. We’ll see if he can get better in coverage or if he’ll forget how to
tackle under Bowles “coach them better” tutelage.
April 24th, 2026 at 8:36 pm
Man wtf is this
April 24th, 2026 at 8:37 pm
Can we just forfeit 2nd Rd picks? Wtf. This guy is a project and an injury away from joining Kancey on the couch.
April 24th, 2026 at 8:38 pm
Wanna who tf Bowles or JL keeps having these bright ideas in 2nd to stagnate Bucs growth
April 24th, 2026 at 8:40 pm
Gross.
April 24th, 2026 at 8:45 pm
The son of another Bowles buddy perhaps? 😞
April 24th, 2026 at 8:47 pm
Hasn’t missed a game since 2023. First team
all SEC linebacker. What’s with the negativity Joe?
April 24th, 2026 at 8:52 pm
This Guy is Nick Bolton. 2.0 an if he turns into that I’ll be damn happy Stop hating on a kid before he even takes a snap
April 24th, 2026 at 8:58 pm
Allen n hill got pushed around. Fast but light on their feet
April 24th, 2026 at 8:59 pm
If definitely take Nick Bolton 2.0 if that’s the case….
I’m hoping he has LVD’s play diagnosis…
April 24th, 2026 at 9:07 pm
Our Rock Star GM strikes again. CJ Allen was sitting there but NO , Our GM has a idea. I mean why draft a big time LBer like Allen or even the guy from Texas when you can get a guy who has been injured most of his career. It reaks of the Draft where we took JTS the d-end from Washington when logic pointed to the D-End from UGA, who went to the Giants & is now starting in the NFL But the Bucs have already given up on JTS. nice job Licth, but then again you think Bowles is a Defensive Genius. HIRE A DEFENSIVE CORDINATOR nah you got the genius
April 24th, 2026 at 9:09 pm
He hasn’t missed a game since 2023.
April 24th, 2026 at 9:11 pm
I wasn’t sold on the pick before hearing about his injuries.
Yuk
April 24th, 2026 at 9:13 pm
NEVER HEARD OF HIM…..
Right now. I kinda want to THROW UP! Let me guess… a Bozo pick!
This guy isn’t even on the RADAR!!!! WHAT IN THE SAM H@@@ ARE THESE GUBBERS DOING? WHY ANOTHER PROJECT WHEN “PROVEN” POTENTIAL (A FEW ACTUALLY) WAS RIGHT THERE????
WHO’S RELATIVE IS THIS UNKNOW GUY? COME ON MAN! THIS IS THE SECOND ROUND! NOT THE 6TH WHERE YOU “TAKE CHANCES”!
JASON LICHT! BUDDY YOU BETTER HOPE THIS ISN’T “ANOTHER BUST” DUDE! :/
April 24th, 2026 at 9:16 pm
I’d say the same concerns for CJ Allen after his knee injury this past season.
April 24th, 2026 at 9:17 pm
Hasn’t missed a game since 2023…..geeez….drama much ??
April 24th, 2026 at 9:23 pm
His comp is KJ Britt
April 24th, 2026 at 9:28 pm
Really getting tired of Todd hiring friends and drafting players “ he knows”. You cannot allow this to continue. Izein (son’s friend), Morrison friend of his dad, Trotter friend of his dad and oh wait yes , hired his own son… really? If Anthony Hill isn’t a better pro than Trotter I d quit watching football. This was a stupid reach pick and everyone knows it
April 24th, 2026 at 9:32 pm
Players don’t fall like Hill Jr did for no reason. He may have been less than he needed to be between the ears for a lot of teams. It’s water under the bridge now- Trotter is a Buc and likely will be for a good long time.
Trotter was on my early short list for the Bucs but the coverage limitations had him the first one off of it. I love what he does in the box, his pedigree and that he isn’t a DB but the Bucs ought to look hard at getting Kyle Louis or AJ Haulcy next. That whole coverage thing in the middle is kinda important.
April 24th, 2026 at 9:35 pm
Let’s see if we take Jermod McCoy if he drops to them, too
April 24th, 2026 at 9:58 pm
Glazers to Bucs brass as Rd 2 kicked off: we are on a roll let’s keep the fans happy;
2nd round genius duo says hold our beers
April 24th, 2026 at 10:37 pm
The hate for this kid is wild. Doesn’t miss games and is a huge upgrade for us in the middle.