Todd Bowles Talks Christian Rozeboom
April 13th, 2026
The Panthers’ leading tackler last season, Christian Rozeboom, now plays for the Buccaneers.
Joe thinks it was a highly underrated signing.
Consider the sad and inexperienced inside linebacker play Bucs fans have witnessed the past two seasons. Joe apologizes for directing brains down that path.
Rozeboom just turned 29, so he’s not washed out, and he carries a Super Bowl ring from the Los Angeles Rams. In 2024, he led the Rams in tackles before moving to Carolina in free agency for $3.4 million.
Yeah, Rozeboom has holes in his game and he’s probably a Bucs backup after Tampa Bay drafts an inside linebacker next week, but this guy is no J.J. Russell.
Joe asked Todd Bowles about Rozeboom 14 days ago at the NFC Coaches Breakfast in Phoenix.
“I think he was a very good addition. He’s very tough,” Bowles said of Rozeboom. “He can play inside, he can play either linebacker spot and he’s a very good special teams player, as well. I think from a depth standpoint with Alex [Anzalone] coming on and him coming on we are a lot deeper at the ‘backer position than we were — with guys that have played in a bunch of ball games. So we’re really happy to have him, really glad he came [to Tampa].”
While Bowles trains his inside linebackers to be interchangable, he noted that newcomer Anzalone is unlikely to play the “Mike” likebacker role but Roseboom is.
April 13th, 2026 at 10:37 am
Long as he’s no Voss Dennis.
April 13th, 2026 at 10:38 am
Canales probably figured since he plays the Bucs twice a year and this Rozeboom will play for his former “boss” (ahem ahem) it’s a net gain for the Panthers. Rozeboom will join the legion of confused whiffers actively regressed by the Genius. Canales will exploit that and Rozeboom will look exactly like SirSucksAlot Dennis flailing around like a headless chicken,
April 13th, 2026 at 10:39 am
Well let’s hope he adds to the depth and is a plus on ST, because ST has been pretty poor over the last few years with last year being the worst. As fas as LB goes , boy do we need help. Presently Anzalone appears to be the only real starter, depth is pretty poor as well. I believe we need 2 more LBs that can play and a few more decent guys for depth. Let’s hope Dennis never plays LB again and is relagated to ST or does not even make the 53 man roster. Yes, that postion is in dire straights currently.
April 13th, 2026 at 10:47 am
Thinks its a great depth signing. Panthers fans dont like the guy from everything I’ve seen.
April 13th, 2026 at 10:51 am
Got a feeling that the Bucs will draft TWO ILBs this year; 1 Rnd 1 or Rnd 2 draft pick who can start at MLB, plus another ILB in Rnd 4 or 5 who’s speedy for weakside/strongside.
Fully expect that Anzalone & Rozeboom will get to finish out their careers here in Bucsland. They’re both talented veterans with solid leadership skills. And that’s exactly what the Bucs REALLY need right now.
April 13th, 2026 at 10:52 am
He’s terrible in coverage similar to SVD. Which is bad, since teams pass on us on first and second down a lot. Which, of course, is most likely when he will be on the field. Hopefully not ever on third down!
April 13th, 2026 at 10:53 am
With Anzalone and Roseboom, the Bucs will have the best hair in the south…
April 13th, 2026 at 10:57 am
The Bucs need young, speedy, versatile ILBs that can stay with RBs, and TEs
They can keep slapping a bandaid on the wound
But it’s not a solution to their problems, it’s just making it worse
April 13th, 2026 at 10:59 am
And the Frenchman, Le Douch’ Canoe’ speaks.
April 13th, 2026 at 11:04 am
I’m in agreement Lakeland.
April 13th, 2026 at 11:08 am
starting to warm up to A.Hill out of Texas….
IMO, IOL & DT for greater needs
GO BUCS!!!!
April 13th, 2026 at 11:09 am
Bowzo Boom Boom defense! Prep for more of the same old 50/50 Bowzo.
April 13th, 2026 at 11:31 am
Added veteran depth to compete for the starting gig. We obviously have SVD still who’ll still be in play, but we’ll 100% add a rookie(or two) to up the level of competition for that starting gig.
We’re looking for that MIKE/STACK backer heading into the draft. Ideally, that’s someone who can also flip roles with Anzalone who I feel is our “MO” that’ll play the weakside and take trips with RBs & TEs in/out of the box.
April 13th, 2026 at 11:39 am
Lakeland thinks the Bucs are in great shape if we just draft like he wants. BS! This team is so full of failed draft picks that just sick around it’s no wonder we had this poor year. Get new blood in here from FA’s, undrafted players and even that summer league and let them sort out who to keep after the draft. Just like JTS stuck around for years, SVD and others in the TE group are wasting roster spots.
April 13th, 2026 at 11:57 am
I’m not saying they draft the players l like
All I’m saying is they should draft versatile players
Solid 3 down players that produce at a high level.
And quit drafting these bums
April 13th, 2026 at 12:03 pm
We can be a great football team with great football players
Or we can be a mediocre team with mediocre players
April 13th, 2026 at 12:32 pm
developmental player early on in his career…to the point where he is now developed…tough and cerebral in regards to the game…
should be a great pick up at this point in his career…borderline starter, depending on how things pan out with the draft…
also could start the season as an ilb draftee matures a bit…and eventually unseats him of the starter role
April 13th, 2026 at 12:34 pm
Lakeland: The Bucs have had 2 losing seasons out of the last 4. Even if the Bucs hit the jackpot in the draft, they still have the same HC/DC, who is far from great.
April 13th, 2026 at 12:39 pm
anyone see this news on bain?
April 13th, 2026 at 12:41 pm
looks like im late to the news
April 13th, 2026 at 12:42 pm
3.28.Evans and HC Grover are sisters
April 13th, 2026 at 12:44 pm
Smoke Porterhouse
Eventually the Bucs will have to clean house
If this season is a failure, the house cleaning has to begin
I wasn’t for cleaning the house last season, because they lost close games
And they were competing every week with a different lineup
But they have a full off-season to right the ship
And l believe they will fix the leaks, with a quality draft
I think they did a good job in free agency, adding depth
I think they will succeed this season
April 13th, 2026 at 12:52 pm
It’s all part of the JL illusion to keep all his picks to show what a great draft genius he thinks he is. Doesn’t matter how ineffective they are. Bowles has to keep rolling them out there to get beaten. Rozeboom needs to be rotational at best and on ST. We definitely need to draft 2 ILB and 2 corners if we don’t get a solid FA corner. The constant dumpster diving for camp fodder is ridiculous. Maybe a solid edge falls to us in round 3 or 4 but more liable to find the second ILB there. McDonald is a must somehow, even if you have to reach in round 1. There are some great WR for the later rounds. If they really want a TE they can hope for Stowers in round 3 but I think he goes in 2. Otherwise wait until 6 or 7. Zac will get over it. JL has a chance to shine. Draft can’t come soon enough.
April 13th, 2026 at 12:53 pm
Slightly random, but still on topic of ILB….
Why did Bucs never bring back in Olakunle Fatukasi for another look-see? He killed it in preseason (not that, that means a lot or a little), made the 53 as an UDFA, got picked up on waivers and when he’s become available again, we have never brought him back, even though he’s still super young….
I was just curious if anyone knew why we was never at least brought him back on the PS, yet we are seeing guys like JJ Russell and KJ Britt and Nick Jackson and John Bullock, etc.
April 13th, 2026 at 12:54 pm
When Bowles speaks, no one listens.
He’s on auto pilot with zero consequences to his actions. Greta job security if you can find it.
2026 will just be on repeat from last year. Communication and scheme will be the jargon we hear at nauseum.
Just gotta fan it better I suppose.
April 13th, 2026 at 12:57 pm
When Bowles said they wanted more size what he meant to say was we wanted more size across the DLine and more hair with our ILBers.
April 13th, 2026 at 1:00 pm
If we draft one of Golday or Rodriguez or Rolder, etc. and after signing Anzalone and Rozeboom, we sure have gone pretty white at the position. Next we are gonna have a Jason Seehorn type cornerback makeover at this rate.
Being silly of course. As long as we get some better athleticism at the position this year and guys with instincts like LVD. That’s what we lacked at ILB last season. On top of the Bruce Arians ME’s from a certain Dennis.
Please draft well with our ILB pick Jason & Bowles!
April 13th, 2026 at 1:07 pm
p.s. can’t wait for your post on Joel Glazer’s recent Baker Mayfield comments
It’s a really smart play by Glazers for an always listening and watching Baker who will of course hear this and get an ownership boost that will def reflect in his play this upcoming season
This is gonna be one helluva make or break it type season it seems!
April 13th, 2026 at 1:09 pm
Voss gets a bad rap. If you judge him on the 2nd half of the year he was playing much better. Knowing now how the 54 came in out of shape due to a knee injury the poor play by the Lbers makes more sense. JJ Russel catching strays in this article is kinda low too. If you call someone a JK Britt it’s not just a insult you’re describing a player who was great in college but limited in the NFL because they a play kinda stiff, move forward well but not a sideline to sideline player. Insulting these top tier athletes that were 100x better than you were in your prime always bothers me.
April 13th, 2026 at 1:11 pm
stanglassman
great post!!!!!
i agree with you
GO BUCS!!!!