Josiah Trotter earns starting competition role with Tampa Bay

Linebacker Josiah Trotter finished his preseason with an 80.5 defensive grade from PFF, placing him fourth among rookie linebackers with at least 20 snaps. The former Missouri player earned an 82.4 grade against the New York Jets, recording three tackles without a missed assignment. His performance against the run has remained consistent with his college career, while improvements in his coverage skills have addressed previous concerns. Tampa Bay coaches utilized Trotter alongside Alex Anzalone during first-team defensive drills against Kansas City. This deployment suggests he is in a genuine competition with SirVocea Dennis for a starting linebacker position as the regular season approaches. Trotter noted that the speed of the game has slowed for him during the preseason, allowing him to adapt to the defensive schemes implemented by Todd Bowles.

• 2:55 PMYahoo Sports — Josiah Trotter quietly puts together impressive preseason