Ready for next step.

The Bucs will likely start three rookies on defense. All are heavy hitters, physical players.

You have Rueben Bain at outside linebacker, Josiah Trotter at inside linebacker and Keionte Scott at nickel. If those two can play to their potential, the Bucs’ defense should be better, and maybe even good.

Joe spoke with Trotter this week and asked him how he will try not to be distracted by the fact he’s going to reach his childhood dream this afternoon along the Ohio River.

“I’m blessed to be in this position, my first NFL game,” Trotter said. “It’s something you dream of and think of your whole life.”

KitKat-eating Bucs coach Todd Bowles has been Trotter’s biggest fan it seems. Trotter seemed invisible during underwear football and Bowles kept saying wait till the pads come on, you’ll notice Trotter.

Boy was he right. Unlike many wannabe NFL players Joe has seen with the Bucs over the years who looked dynamite in underwear football but vanished when the pads came on, Trotter has been the exact opposite.

His game is a physical game and you can’t do that in underwear football.

“It is kind of how I was raised to play this game,” Trotter said.

In other words, Trotter was built for today.

“No doubt,” he said. “My dad raised us for this.”

Trotter, the son of Eagles legend Jeremiah Trotter, said he remembers as a little kid his dad bringing him to the Eagles facility where the younger Trotter’s football DNA began percolating.

Trotter was a damn fine, physical linebacker at Missouri. Today, it’s the big leagues. Joe Burrow is across the line of scrimmage. And Joe has a hunch that the Bengals may try to pick on Trotter, maybe try to set up a mismatch with Ja’Marr Chase or Tee Higgins in Trotter’s zone.

So Joe asked Trotter what he has to do in order to have a solid NFL debut today.

“Just trust the talent I was blessed with,” Trotter said. “Have fun. Play fast. Trust my instincts and just know that at the end of the day it is just football.

“It may be the highest level, but it’s football.”

In Joe’s mind, if Trotter can put Burrow on his back and the Bucs can pull out a win, that will be a successful debut for Trotter.