The Bucs showed a a leap of faith in second-year linebacker K.J. Britt this offseason when they elected not to bring special teams captain Kevin Minter back for another season. Tampa Bay rolling with the fifth-round selection from the 2021 draft gives Britt big shoes to fill. And throughout the first two weeks of camp, he’s impressed his teammates and head coach Todd Bowles with his hard work.

“K.J. [Britt] can play both [positions] obviously,” Bowles said. “We really like him – he’s coming on a lot. He makes a lot of plays, he’s very intelligent and he works hard.”

Taking The Right Steps

Lavonte David has also seen the growth from Britt from year one to year two. One of the biggest things he’s emphasizes is learning from mistakes made on the field.

“Each day, man, K.J. gets better and better,” David said. “We always talk about ‘don’t make the same mistake twice’ and that’s something he’s definitely taken to heart. Once he makes a mistake, he learns from it and he won’t make that mistake again. That’s something that you want to see from a young guy.”

Bucs ILB K.J. Britt – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

While Britt isn’t a starter, injuries can happen at any time. Minter was thrust into action each of the past two seasons. David missed time due to injuries last year and Devin White missed a game due to COVID in 2020.

“As you know, anything can happen,” David said. “With me, when I got hurt, then ‘Mint’ (Kevin Minter) had to step up. “Unfortunate situations happen in this game. Guys get injured, and K.J. Britt is someone we need to count on to come in and plug and play and just pick up the slack. I’m definitely proud of his progression. He’s been reaching out, asking questions, asking the right questions and taking the studying to heart. He’s been in Coach (Larry) Foote’s hip pocket and he’s definitely taking the right steps forward for us.”

Improving Every Day

White has also seen improvement from Britt in his second year. With White and David absent for OTAs and David sidelined for mandatory mini-camp, Britt gained valuable reps at both linebacker spots. As the one calling the plays, he gained valuable experience at both the “Mike” and the “Moe” roles in the Bucs’ defense.

“Just improvement,” White said. “Being trustworthy to get on the field if somebody goes down or to come in on the goal line in packages in run packages. I’m really liking what he’s doing. He’s getting in the playbooks as well and it’s showing out here on the field.”

As for Britt, he attributes his growth to a strong understanding of the scheme and his role in it.

“Film study, knowing my job, and just playing fast,” he said.