In soccer, a slant route is constructed on timing and precision. The receiver doesn’t waste movement – he breaks sharply throughout the sphere into open area earlier than the protection can react. It’s easy in design, however separation is created by execution.
That very same strategy defines my weekly Saturday Bucs column, Slivon’s Slant.
Every week from now till coaching camp, I’ll have a look inside a special Bucs place group. The purpose is to chop by the floor to search out the clearest path in evaluating this roster because it takes form. Then, as soon as the season begins, the column will proceed providing totally different angles for breaking down and discussing the workforce. To this point, I’ve provided in-depth profiles of the quarterback, operating again, extensive receiver, tight finish, and offensive line positions.
Now, it’s time to cowl the protection, starting with the defensive linemen.
Inside The Bucs Defensive Line Room
Pocket-Collapsing Colossus: Vita Vea
The presence of Vita Vea has been felt in the course of the Bucs’ defensive position for the previous eight seasons. Vea has carved out a memorable tenure in Tampa Bay whereas incomes the repute of being one of many league’s finest nostril tackles. Amongst them, he’s a unicorn in how he not solely clogs run lanes as an immovable drive however utterly collapses pockets and brings down the quarterback at 6-foot-4 and 347 kilos. It’s not usually that gamers of his construct lead the workforce in sacks, however he led the workforce in that class in 2022 and has constantly ranked close to the highest over the previous a number of seasons.
Bucs DT Vita Vea – Photograph by: IMAGN Photographs
There ought to be no denying the distinctive expertise that Vea is. He deserves his flowers – and maybe a spot within the Bucs Ring of Honor sometime. Underneath contract for this season earlier than being a free agent, one does need to marvel if that is his “last dance” in Tampa Bay. Now 31 years previous, there’s concern about his longevity. It’s not frequent that defensive tackles maintain up and proceed to play at a excessive degree into their mid-30s.
Evading sturdiness considerations and moving into nice form lately has served Vea nicely, however will he be capable to maintain up and be productive in 2026? After taking part in a career-high in snaps final season, there must be extra of a plan in place to maintain him contemporary. Given his monitor report of dominance and dedication to his craft, I anticipate not less than another high-quality, Professional Bowl-caliber yr from Vea. With the upgrades made alongside the entrance seven and a (hopefully) wholesome Calijah Kancey, issues line up nicely for the veteran nostril sort out to create for others in addition to himself. That’s all of the Bucs can actually ask for.
Disruptive Dynamo: Calijah Kancey
If the story for Vita Vea is whether or not he can maintain up for an additional season, the Bucs simply wish to see Calijah Kancey maintain up for a full season. I might push again on the notion that Kancey is only a man or is somebody that’s overhyped. To that, I level to what he achieved in 2024, when he led the workforce with 7.5 sacks in 12 video games, together with a stretch the place he had 5 sacks in 4 video games. The expertise has by no means been in query. Staying on the sphere has. Contemplating how he impacts video games, particularly paired subsequent to an even bigger nostril sort out, he can nonetheless very nicely be a double-digit, disruptive defensive sort out.
Bucs DTs Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey – Photograph by: Jeffrey Jones/PR
Kancey just isn’t the largest run defender, however his traits for the place are uncommon. Few defensive linemen are as nimble and explosive off the snap. That works to his benefit in the best way he creates leverage, and his work up thus far is essentially a testomony to that. Given the place the remainder of the defensive position stands, the 2023 first-round decide is an ideal match. If all he does is tally sacks and increase the cross rush, that is sufficient to make an impression and get the unit again to being respectable. Though his fifth-year possibility was picked up, his fourth yr must be his finest yr but.
Ass-Kicking Alpha: A’Shawn Robinson
Speak about making a memorable first impression. From the second A’Shawn Robinson signed with the Bucs in free company, the veteran defensive sort out has been simply what the physician ordered from an angle standpoint. For a unit criticized for being “soft” at occasions and maybe crammed with too many “nice guys,” Robinson needs to kick ass and take names. That doesn’t make him a jerk, but it surely makes him somebody that’s not to be messed with, and that character has been sorely wanted. I imply, that is the trenches we’re speaking about right here. It’s one factor if different positions lack that form of edge, however the defensive tackles are the tone-setters.
Bucs DT A’Shawn Robinson – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
All of this could not understate the worth Robinson brings on the soccer area. Tampa Bay didn’t simply hand him a one-year, $10 million deal for his imply streak. He was relied upon closely in Carolina the final two seasons, significantly in 2024 when star Panthers defensive sort out Derrick Brown missed the season. It was Robinson who stepped as much as fill his void, recording profession highs with 80 tackles and 5.5 sacks. Even in 2025, he posted 65 tackles and a pair of.5 sacks. For context, Logan Corridor led the Bucs’ defensive tackles with simply 39 tackles.
That reinforces simply how stout the newcomer is wrapping up ballcarriers. He has seen quite a lot of motion through the years, becoming a member of the workforce well-seasoned and battle-tested. Whereas not the primary identify to come back to thoughts about who the workforce ought to have introduced in, Robinson is strictly what the workforce wanted and tasks to be the third starter whereas not utterly limiting the backups from getting their share of taking part in time, too.
Growing Disruptor: Elijah Roberts
Wanting again, the strides Elijah Roberts made final season ought to have been given extra credit score than they acquired. For a fifth-round decide, Roberts exceeded expectations and crammed an vital depth function with Calijah Kancey out for the season. The SMU product flashed thrilling traits as an athletic, versatile cross rusher but in addition as a run defender. It got here as no shock when the Bucs didn’t wish to pony up and pay Logan Corridor and selected to not retain Greg Gaines. The addition of A’Shawn Robinson does restrict Roberts’ ceiling, but it surely offers him extra time to develop and refine his sport coming into his second season.
Bucs DT Elijah Roberts – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
Roberts appeared on the Pewter Report Podcast just lately, and it was stunning to listen to him share he’s as much as 305 kilos after taking part in final yr between 275-290 kilos. One other yr to work and strictly concentrate on his sport inside Tampa Bay’s defensive system offers a way of encouragement he’ll amplify strides and be extra comfy taking part in sooner. By that lens, one can sense he’s solely scratching the floor of his potential.
It’s intriguing simply how polished he regarded over his final two years in faculty as a cross rusher, which head coach Todd Bowles ought to goal to deploy on passing downs. With how a lot defensive tackles rotate out and in, he shouldn’t see a ton of drop off from the 49% of defensive snaps he performed final season. It really works to his profit that he’s not beneath a ton of stress to carry out, however on the identical time, a considerable platform lies forward to drive his method into extra taking part in time and stake a declare for a beginning spot in 2027.
Athletic Anomaly: DeMonte Capehart
In deciding on DeMonte Capehart, the Bucs confirmed they weren’t afraid to beef up the defensive position additional. Even when Capehart spends his first season largely creating behind the scenes, he has an intriguing mix of tantalizing traits. It begins with the actual fact he’s 6-foot-5, 313 kilos and ran a 4.85-second 40-yard sprint. That uncommon athletic profile is paired with the ability he displayed at Clemson. He didn’t have the possibility to completely unlock his intangibles into manufacturing, but it surely says one thing that he acquired fairly an endorsement from his well-respected faculty head coach, Dabo Swinney.
Bucs DT DeMonte Capehart – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
“He’s got rare ability for a guy his size to be able to manipulate other people against their will,” Swinney stated. I imply, he’s actually gifted, particularly with regards to stopping the run… They’re getting somebody who I feel is a first-round expertise.”
His plus athleticism additionally comes with positional flexibility to play a number of spots alongside the defensive position with out lacking a beat. Given his aptitude for run protection, it’s possible he will get rotated in, even when for simply 15-25 snaps a sport as a rookie. His pass-rushing profile is to not the extent of the remainder of the room and requires NFL teaching to unlock. It was not stunning to see Tampa Bay guess on him, however simply how a lot they will money in shall be a multi-year funding.
Nasty Nacho: Rakeem Nuñez-Roches
Throughout my first season masking the Bucs in 2022, there’s one quote from Rakeem Nuñez-Roches that completely encapsulates who he’s.
“We need to talk about why my jersey ain’t in the [team] store,” Nuñez-Roches stated then. “If we ain’t talking about that, we ain’t talking. I need some royalties. They got to make a jersey.”
Nuñez-Roches, or extra affectionately nicknamed “Nacho,” is again for a second stint in Tampa Bay after spending the final two seasons with the Giants. Ask anybody about him, and the instant response is the high-energy and juice he offers to the defensive position room in addition to the locker room. He performs each snap like his final. Turning 33 years previous in lower than a month, he’s winding down his profession, and this traces as much as be a last pit cease.
Bucs DL coach Marcus West and DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
A 2015 sixth-round decide by the Chiefs, it’s spectacular he has survived so lengthy. Whereas a depth piece for many of his time within the league, he logged quite a lot of taking part in time in New York. Through the previous two seasons, he logged 75 tackles and 5 sacks throughout 24 video games (20 begins).
Whereas the metrics don’t paint Nuñez-Roches as something greater than a replacement-level participant, there isn’t a changing the guts he performs with. That may be a welcome addition, even when he’s on a final stand of kinds to make the 53-man roster. If the workforce elects to maintain 5 defensive linemen, he’s the odd man out. Nonetheless, stashing “Nacho” on the apply squad is smart to maintain him (and his character) within the constructing.
Hole-Gobbling Large: Jayson Jones
Final yr was an enormous “what could have been” second for Jayson Jones. Set to be elevated to the lively roster and begin instead of the injured Logan Corridor within the Week 4 sport towards Philadelphia, Jones tore his bicep. It was a season-ending setback, however he has one other probability to make a reputation for himself. He’s a big, imposing determine at 6-foot-6, 340 kilos. He’s removed from being essentially the most athletic defensive sort out, however at his dimension, he suits a really particular area of interest — being a gap-gobbling big.
Bucs DT Jayson Jones – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
That specialization, together with the actual fact he has impressed early on this offseason, makes him one of many group’s extra intriguing developmental defensive linemen. Making the 53-man roster shall be way more troublesome, given simply how aggressive the underside of the defensive sort out depth chart is. Ought to Vita Vea ever miss time, Jones is the proper fill-in to eat up area and open issues up for others. Gamers like him don’t develop on timber, so protecting him round and on standby is the logical transfer.
Closing Slant
The Bucs defensive sort out room is without doubt one of the workforce’s deepest place teams coming into this season. It could even be one of the vital. The items are in place from a expertise and character standpoint that may flip issues round. That requires all of the “what if’s” falling into place, resembling Vita Vea remaining productive, Calijah Kancey being obtainable, A’Shawn Robinson offering greater than nastiness, and youthful gamers like Elijah Roberts, DeMonte Capehart, and even Jayson Jones taking the subsequent step.
The extent to which every of these occurs will decide not solely how profitable the defensive position is, however it’ll additionally have an effect on the surface cross rush getting dwelling and making life simpler for the secondary. My slant on this group? The Bucs have assembled one of many deepest defensive sort out rooms they’ve had in years. Now comes the onerous half — turning potential into manufacturing. If they will, it makes your entire protection more durable to dam, more durable to throw towards, and more durable to beat.
