Liking Alex Anzalone
April 14th, 2026
Bucs ILB Alex Anzalone.
Joe has no idea if Zoltán Buday continues to work for the PFF tribe or not. But at least, before the PFF ship ran aground, he got off a missive.
About two or three weeks ago, Cris Collinsworth’s PFF tribe got bought by a stats outfit. The PFF tribe did quality control work for the NFL — trust Joe, the league wanted nothing to do with its dumbarse grades — and the new outfit wanted that backend service the PFF tribe gives the NFL.
The front end of the PFF tribe with all the nonsensical GD grades and the website and podcasts? The buyer told Collinsworth he could keep it. And Joe guesses Collinsworth did but he also dumped the staff.
This Buday hasn’t typed an article since. (On the front page of the site there has been a grand total of two stories published in the past 11 days.) But Buday did type an article detailing one free agent signing he liked from each NFL team.
For the Bucs, it was Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht in bringing in Alex Anzalone.
The Lions got consistently above-average play from Anzalone over the past couple of years. Getting that level of consistency at the position makes Anzalone worth being the 23rd-highest-paid linebacker over the next two seasons.
What will the Bucs do at inside linebacker in the draft. Surely they will draft one (maybe two) and Joe guesses the highest-drafted inside linebacker will have every opportunity to win a starting gig.
Anzalone is a good pass defender and boy, the Bucs were awful at that. So Joe wonders if the Bucs draft an inside linebacker who is better known for stopping the run to balance Anazalone’s skill set?
April 14th, 2026 at 12:46 am
Joe, he’s here for 2 years, maybe 3 years tops. We will definitely need another backer who can play the past well. I’m sure they’ll look for a well-rounded backer with their first linebacker choice.
April 14th, 2026 at 12:46 am
* Play the pass
April 14th, 2026 at 12:48 am
It’s an interesting question, Joe. Neither inside linebacker signed this offseason is a long-term solution, imo.
I’ve been thinking that between the no-man’s-land draft position, the HC’s obsession with takeaways, and the abysmal production of the ILBs makes it very likely that they draft the Texas Tech linebacker. He’s a tackling machine and he creates turnovers, or so I’ve read. You good with an ILB@15?
April 14th, 2026 at 1:44 am
Yes, he’ll have to be insanely athletic to match up against Bijan, Etienne, Pitts and who knows Kenyon Sadiq if the schlockers are to be believed.
April 14th, 2026 at 2:45 am
I’m taking Mc Donald @ 15 we would have a good dline rotation
Hopefully we can Grab J Rod. In the 2nd that is solid right there.
April 14th, 2026 at 3:24 am
They already have Roseboom who is more of a run defender. Get a draft pick who can do both
April 14th, 2026 at 3:27 am
We need another limebacker great against both because we do run man coverages and multi coverages and the LB will need to be able to play zone too. And that’s at minimum. What if one of them gets injured? You can’t put in a guy that can’t play the pass for any real amount of time in *this league*. So at least one backup should be able to do this too- and well enough not to be a liability.
April 14th, 2026 at 3:59 am
Joe … ‘So Joe wonders if the Bucs draft an inside linebacker who is better known for stopping the run to balance Anazalone’s skill set?’
The first 5 JBFers unanimously answered that question Joe … grab an ILB who can do both; play the run AND defend the pass. Talented youngsters like that though go high in the draft.
April 14th, 2026 at 4:56 am
Fred McNeil … ‘They already have Roseboom who is more of a run defender’.
I agree that Rozeboom is probably better at defending the run than the pass Fred, but his Pass Defense skillset isn’t all that shabby. He played relatively full-time in 2025 for the Panthers & in 2024 for the Rams, so just looking at those 2 years his stats are fairly decent.
For kicks compared him with LVD over the past 2 seasons (also looked at Alex Anzalone’s stats out of curiosity):
o David: 34 games – 145 targets – 115 completions – 79.3% Allowed – 9 TDs Allowed – 9 PDs – 2 INTs – 5 FFs
o Rozeboom: 32 games – 126 targets – 96 completions – 76.2% Allowed – 3 TDs Allowed – 7 PDs – 2 INTs – 1 FFs
o Anzalone: 26 games – 110 targets – 72 completions – 65.5% Allowed – 3 TDs Allowed – 14 PDs – 1 INTs – 0 FFs
I’m convinced that both Anzalone & Rozeboom will do well if they both end up starting as our ILBs. Came upon an article on the Panthers’ site that Rozeboom’s nickname was ‘Boom’. Rather cool nickname.
Also came upon several interesting pieces about Panthers’ DT Derrick Brown (6’5″ & 320 lbs). He’s a true beast (in size & attitude). They must really like him because he’s making $24 mil a year on his 2nd contract. Last season he had 5 sacks, 11 QB hits, 7 PDs, 1 FF, 5 TFLs & 73 tackles (33 solo). That’s a pretty nice impact in the center of their DLine.
Panthers also added Devin Lloyd at LBer recently for a mere $14 mil/year, to go with CB Jaycee Horn (making $25 mil/yr), Safety Trevon Moehrig (making $17 mil/yr), DT Tershawn Wharton (making $15 mil/yr), and Edge Jaelon Phillips (making $30 mil/yr). That’s just half of the Panthers starting defense making $125 mil/yr … an average for those 6 of over $20 mil/yr. Got a feeling the Panthers are throwing serious money towards having an improved defense.
April 14th, 2026 at 4:56 am
Hoping we go LB in one of the first 3, and come back to it later with guys like Elliott, Kelly, Barton, Murdoch, etc. After the 3rd all those guys have warts, but maybe Licht finds a diamond in the rough and Caldwell can coach ’em up.
April 14th, 2026 at 6:56 am
DR. Great analysis. What stood out is Lavonte had almost TWICE the turnovers the last two seasons than Anzalone and Boom COMBINED. It’s not going to be as easy replacing Lavonte as some people think. We need a true Mike Linebacker, a young, take charge, take the ball back leader of this defense. Man it would be hard to pass on Rodriguez. We need at least two beasts in the middle of the DL. But when our new beasts are collapsing pockets, QBs are gonna be hitting quick safety valve passes and we’re gonna need younger, faster linebackers. Rodriguez killed Sonny Styles, and every other linebacker in the combine, in all shuttle run drills. He reads the plays quicker than Hill or CJ Allen and is quicker to boot. He’s really that good. I’m not cool with the 23rd highest paid ILB in the league being our Mike Backer. Especially one getting older and slower. Anzalone ain’t no Lavonte. Let’s replace a legend with a guy that has a chance to be a legend.
April 14th, 2026 at 7:55 am
Right there with you Joe. I get the feelling he will be a welcome locker room presence as well. Drafting two top ILBs would not bother me a bit! However we need a true cover corner who is not afraid to hit someone soo…
Go Bucs!
April 14th, 2026 at 8:54 am
Concur with @Kenton Smith (+probably most fans for most teams) Jacob Rodriguez is special. The challenge is everyone wants him and everyone thinks that he can be had at top of 2nd – which usually means he will be picked in first round. Factor in the high visibility, fan excitement, marketing complement (high potential to be ome of the “faces of franchise”, jersey sales, cool nickname, etc. – J-Rod is a hot commodity that is almost certainly not going to last until 2nd round. IMHO Jerry Jones would not pass up such an opportunity and will pick J-Rod at #20 – unless Styles falls to their first pick.
Can’t have it all, I suppose.
April 14th, 2026 at 9:13 am
I’d like a Mike picked in rd2 and a Mo somewhere in rds 4-6. For the Mo, I could see Licht picking up a big box safety, something that’s becoming more common in the league.
Hopefully, some team wants to move up for Ty Simpson, and then Licht can trade down to late rd 1 and pick up another pick or two.