The Bucs were elated that legendary linebacker Lavonte David decided to return for a 14th season in Tampa Bay at age 35. David has been a team captain since his third season in the league back in 2014 and has been the undisputed leader of the defense under the last four Bucs head coaches.

But other leaders have emerged alongside of David over the years, including the likes of outside linebackers Jason Pierre-Paul and Shaq Barrett, defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and inside linebacker Devin White during the team’s Super Bowl run in the 2020 season.

The defensive leadership then transitioned to Pro Bowl defensive tackle Vita Vea and All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. as Pierre-Paul, Suh, Barrett and White left Tampa Bay. Vea and Winfield became team captains for the first time during the 2023 season and are expected to be team captains again for the third year in 2025.

Yet new leaders are emerging on the Bucs defense, as Vea turns 30 and enters his eighth year in red and pewter, Winfield enters his sixth year in Tampa Bay and David begins what is expected to be his final season in the NFL. Here is a look at some of the defenders that are stepping up this offseason as more vocal leaders on Todd Bowles’ unit.

New Leadership Emerging On Bucs Defense

ILB SirVocea Dennis

Dennis is poised to take over at middle linebacker for K.J. Britt, who wasn’t re-signed this offseason. Entering his third season, but with only a handful of games under his belt due to injury, Dennis has a firm grasp of Todd Bowles’ defensive scheme. Now he just has to stay healthy and execute his assignments. But part of being the middle linebacker in any defense is wearing the green dot on the helmet and communicating with the play-caller, who happens to be Bowles.

Bucs ILB SirVocea Dennis and HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Dennis’ communication skills have been praised by coaches and his teammates on defense. He has also taken it upon himself to be more vocal in the huddle, doling out the high-fives and hyping guys up, which is what he did as a three-year starter in college at Pittsburgh. If Dennis’ play is as good as the Bucs are hoping it is, he will likely inherit Lavonte David’s captain’s “C” when the legend retires.

DT Calijah Kancey

Kancey was teammates with SirVocea Dennis for four years at Pittsburgh and this will be the seventh year the two have played football together. Not only will Kancey and Dennis form a terrific 1-2 punch in the middle of the Bucs defense along with fellow defensive tackle Vita Vea, but Kancey is expected to take on more of a vocal leadership role up front this year.

Kancey, a former first-round pick in 2023, is a more vocal player than Vea, who is more lead-by-example like Lavonte David is. In addition to Dennis, Kancey established a great rapport with outside linebacker Yaya Diaby, who was drafted in the third round in 2023, from day one. Diaby and Kancey are thick as thieves and are always seen talking football whether it’s on the practice field, in the locker room or in the meeting room. Kancey isn’t the fire-starter that Hall of Fame defensive tackle Warren Sapp was. Instead he’s more like Gerald McCoy, rallying the players on defense.

OLB Yaya Diaby

Diaby came on the Pewter Report Podcast this offseason and talked about wanting to take on more of a leadership role as he enters his third season in Tampa Bay. He’s done just that this offseason. Diaby and SirVocea Dennis were the ones hyping up the other defensive players in the huddle. The former Louisville star has also been organizing team dinners with his teammates on defense to have the unit become closer and ultimately be as tight knit as Tampa Bay’s offensive line is.

Bucs DT Calijah Kancey and OLB Yaya Diaby – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Diaby is super serious about his craft, and when he’s not on the field getting his reps he’s been glued to new outside linebackers coach Larry Foote, picking his brain and taking on Foote’s coaching. He’s also going to join Calijah Kancey at Maxx Crosby’s Sack Summit this offseason to work on his pass rush moves. Diaby wouldn’t mind getting a “C” on his chest one day, perhaps when Vita Vea retires, but if not, he’s satisfied just being a vocal leader the way that Jason Pierre-Paul and Ndamukong Suh were just a few years ago before his arrival. Neither player was officially a team captain.

CB Zyon McCollum

Antoine Winfield Jr. wears the “C” in the secondary, but he’s more of a Lavonte David-type, who leads by example. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see fellow safety Tykee Smith emerge as a more vocal leader this year, but in his second season and transitioning from nickelback to strong safety, he might not be ready to take the reins of Todd Bowles’ secondary just yet.

McCollum also joined the Pewter Report Podcast this offseason, and like Diaby, he also discussed being a more vocal leader in 2025. Now entering his fourth year in Tampa Bay and his second year in the starting lineup, McCollum appears ready to be the vocal leader in the defensive backfield – certainly in the Bucs cornerback room. McCollum, who won the annual Good Guy Award for being the best Buccaneer with the media in 2024, is quite a natural talker and communicator. He’s perfectly poised to assume a leadership role on the back end of Tampa Bay’s defense.

OLB Haason Reddick

Reddick comes to Tampa Bay as a proven performer when it comes to getting to the quarterback. A two-time Pro Bowler who amassed double-digit sacks from 2020-2023, the 30-year old Reddick has something that the Bucs outside linebacker room lacks a lot of – experience. Even though he’s only attended a few phase I workouts and the mandatory mini-camp in Tampa Bay so far this offseason, Reddick has stated that he’s excited to share what he’s learned over his NFL career with his new teammates.

Bucs ILB Anthony Walker Jr. and OLB Haason Reddick – Photo by: Jeffrey Jones/PR

Reddick has never been a team captain before on any of the four other teams he’s played on, but at this stage of his career, and with his history of being outspoken, he won’t be shy about taking on a leadership on defense, especially in the outside linebacker room. Reddick is the kind of player that doesn’t need to have a “C” on his chest to speak up. He and Yaya Diaby won’t just be dangerous bookend pass rushers on the edge. They’ll also be vocal leaders up front on defense.

Anthony Walker Jr.

Walker, who signed a one-year deal with the Bucs after playing in Miami, isn’t expected to start in Tampa Bay this season. But he’ll be the first linebacker off the bench in the game if SirVocea Dennis or Lavonte David need a breather or get injured. Entering his ninth year in the league, primarily as a middle linebacker, Walker will be a great resource for Dennis to lean on as he assumes the starting role this year for the first time in his three-year career.

Walker is a great communicator and has a very outgoing, friendly personality. He’s as team-oriented as they come and is excited to play in Tampa Bay with David, who is one of his idols. Walker is a highly respected veteran, who was a two-time captain in Cleveland from 2022-23. He’ll take on a leadership role from the back of the inside linebacker room and help mold Dennis into a star in no time.