A new Pewter Report Roundtable debuts every Tuesday on PewterReport.com. Each week, the Pewter Reporters tackle another tough question. This week’s prompt: Which Bucs defender picks off Broncos quarterback Bo Nix?

Scott Reynolds: SirVocea Dennis Gets His First Career INT Off Bo Nix

Bucs ILB SirVocea Dennis – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

This may seem like a bit of a presumptuous and audacious topic, but it is a fair one considering that Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix has thrown two interceptions in each of his first two NFL starts. And it’s a timely topic with the Bucs defense getting its first two interceptions of the year in Detroit – and dropping three other potential picks. So which Bucs defender do I think will pick Nix off on Sunday when the Broncos come to town? I’m going with second-year inside linebacker SirVocea Dennis.

Dennis recorded his first career sack in the Week 1 win over Washington and I believe he’ll get his first career INT at Raymond James Stadium against the Broncos. No other inside linebacker has recorded more interceptions in practice over the past two years than Dennis, a fifth-round pick in 2023. The highly cerebral and instinctive Dennis has a knack for jumping shallow and intermediate passing routes and that’s why he platoons in for K.J. Britt in third-and-long and obvious passing downs.

Nix has thrown the most passes – 24 – to the short center of the field than any other spot on the gridiron. That’s right where Dennis will be when he’s not blitzing, as Todd Bowles often spot drops his linebackers in shallow coverage in nickel defense. Dennis was my selection for my takeaway from the Week 1 win in last week’s PR Roundtable and he had a career-high 11 tackles last week in Detroit. I’m riding the hot hand and watching Dennis get his first NFL pick on Sunday against the rookie QB.

Matt Matera: The Great Play By Jordan Whitehead Catapults To A Pick

Bucs S Jordan Whitehead – Photo by: USA Today

Bucs safety Jordan Whitehead has been fantastic in his second go-around with Tampa Bay after coming back this offseason. Through two weeks he’s made 19 tackles and has led the Bucs in that category in each game. He’s flying around the field making plays up at the line of scrimmage but also at the back end in his natural safety position. Each game he’s also recorded a pass breakup.

With how well he’s played, it only makes sense that the next thing to do to elevate his game is record an interception. Whitehead came close against the Lions last week and should have had one. Surely, that has to be eating him up a little bit, but he has a good chance for redemption against the turnover heavy Bo Nix on Sunday.

Leaving the Bucs for two years and playing for the Jets helped Whitehead improve his pass coverage skills. Last season Whitehead four interceptions, including three against Josh Allen in the season opener. He came back to the Bucs as a more well-rounded player. Since Antoine Winfield Jr. is out, he’s taken even more of a leadership role and really helped spearhead the defense with his playmaking ability. Whitehead is physical, but also versatile in his coverage. The pressure will work for the Bucs this week, and Whitehead might just be the beneficiary of it.

Bailey Adams: Zyon McCollum Keeps It Going With Another INT

Bucs CB Zyon McCollum – Photo by: USA Today

Zyon McCollum said during training camp that it was his goal to lead the Bucs with six interceptions in 2024. A Buccaneer hasn’t picked off six passes in a season since Aqib Talib did it in 2010, so McCollum has his work cut out for him if he’s going to hit that total this year.

The good news is that McCollum got a start on his goal in Week 2, intercepting Jared Goff on the Lions’ first offensive play of the game. He nearly had a couple more interceptions en route to a career-high four passes defensed. It was the best game of the third-year cornerback’s young career, and I love his chances to build on it against Bo Nix in Week 3.

Nix has thrown four interceptions over the first two games of his NFL career, with one of those four coming to his right on an intermediate pass. That could bode well for McCollum. Denver doesn’t have a whole lot of playmakers to be scared of surrounding its rookie signal-caller, either, so McCollum should come into this game confident and ready to get himself one-third of the way to his goal of six interceptions in 2024.

Josh Queipo: Old Dog Lavonte David (Finally) Gets A Pick

Bucs LB Lavonte David NFL – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

It has been four years since Tampa Bay inside linebacker Lavonte David last recorded an interception. Despite this drought he remains one of the best coverage linebackers in the NFL. Over the past two years David has nine pass breakups and he can be counted on to always be in the right place at the right time.

At age 34, David is the wily veteran at this point in his career. And he will be facing his antithesis in Denver Broncos rookie Bo Nix. The former Oregon product throws almost half of his passes to the middle of the field with two-thirds of his total throws going to the short or intermediate depth of field (0-20 yards past the line of scrimmage).

By sheer volume David is likely to see several passes come his way on Sunday. And as a believer in baseball tropes, David is “due” – probably overdue. With younger players like cornerback Zyon McCollum and safety Christian Izien logging picks last week in Detroit, the old dog will want to show the young pups that he still has the ability to show some tricks.

Adam Slivon: Jamel Dean Will Make His First Scene Of 2024 On Sunday

Bucs CB Jamel Dean – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Jamel Dean did not make up for his dropped interception in the Divisional Round in the Bucs’ Week 2 win over the Lions, but Dean did put together a solid game in coverage – outside of allowing a 50-yard reception to Jameson Williams early. While he filled the tackle column with 10 tackles and added a pass deflection, this Sunday against the Broncos presents a prime opportunity to get his first interception of the new season.

Denver rookie Bo Nix has yet to throw a touchdown pass through two games and is tied for the league lead with four interceptions. One of those four picks was a throw to the deep left of the field, which bodes well for the veteran outside cornerback to capitalize. Nix has already made some rookie mistakes, and he might get more aggressive to make up for them by trying to force the ball to Courtland Sutton and Josh Reynolds. That’s why I see Dean being able to make a scene in Week 3.

After both Zyon McCollum and Christian Izien got interceptions in Detroit, it’s time for the highest-paid and longest tenured cornerback on the team to lead the room. In a room decimated by injuries early on, Jamel Dean has to showcase that he can be a playmaker and keep the takeaways coming. Dean failed to record an interception last year, and only has seven career interceptions entering his sixth season. There is even more urgency for him to make big plays, and with this favorable of a matchup, I see him being able to come down with one. If he does, Todd Bowles will surely be satisfied — and may ask him to take a drug test after.