While there is certainly a high likelihood that the Bucs come away from the 2025 NFL Draft with a new rookie linebacker, it’s no secret that general manager Jason Licht and Tampa Bay’s decision-makers are banking on big things from third-year ‘backer SirVocea Dennis.

Dennis, a 2023 fifth-round pick, was actually set to play a bigger role in 2024 and likely would’ve gone on to supplant K.J. Britt as the other starting linebacker next to Lavonte David by season’s end, but a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 4 made that impossible.

And despite the injury bug impacting Dennis both in his rookie campaign and last year, the first big wave of free agency came and went without Tampa Bay making a big splash at inside linebacker. The team re-signed David to another one-year deal and inked Anthony Walker Jr. to a one-year deal for depth.

That itself was a vote of confidence for Dennis from the Bucs brass, but Jason Licht elaborated further on the former Pitt standout on Monday afternoon when speaking with the media at the 2025 NFL Annual Meeting.

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

“Super intrigued,” Licht said about Dennis. “That was a blow to us – bigger than a lot of people knew when we wasn’t able to play for us last year because he was really coming on. I think he’s a very good starting linebacker in this league. I think we’ve got the [shoulder] issue resolved and he’s ready.”

Licht went on to explain what it is that has him so bullish on the impact SirVocea Dennis can make for Todd Bowles’ defense in 2025 and beyond.

“He’s very explosive,” Licht said. “He’s fast, he’s instinctive. He’s got a quick trigger. He’s an instinctual player, both in the run game and the pass game. Very, very smart.”

“We thought we had a heck of a player when he was on the field,” head coach Todd Bowles said Tuesday. “We really thought he was making big strides – first, second and third down. He’s not just a third-down player. Again, he had the shoulder [injury]. The shoulder’s been hurt since he came out of college. He got it taken care of. We would like to see him healthy. You can’t go by that, we have to keep adding pieces. But we think he’s a heck of a football player.

“We also think we got a good football player in Walker from Miami. Really shows some good stuff on tape. We think we got better there. Would we like to add somebody else there when we get a chance? Yes, we would because you can’t rely on people when they’re not healthy. But if [Dennis] can come back and have a healthy spring and healthy summer, we think he’ll be a big factor for us.”

The 2025 Season Might Be Make-Or-Break For SirVocea Dennis

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

As much belief as Jason Licht, Todd Bowles and the Bucs might have in SirVocea Dennis, the 2025 season could very well make or break the inside linebacker’s future in Tampa Bay.

Lavonte David is 35 years old and may be playing his last NFL season in 2025, so the team could have two question marks at the inside linebacker position as soon as 2026.

The hope is that the Bucs are able to find a future starting linebacker in the 2025 Draft and that said future starting linebacker is ready for a full share of snaps by next fall.

The other spot? That’s Dennis’ to lose.

A healthy, productive season and No. 8 can feel more secure about his long-term future with the team as he heads into the final year of his rookie deal in 2026.

Another injury-plagued season or a campaign that falls short of the expectations Jason Licht and Todd Bowles have for him? At best, he’s on thin ice heading into a contract year or he’s even relegated to depth before his fourth season ever begins and the team starts to make long-term plans without him.

At worst, Dennis doesn’t even finish out his rookie contract. That sounds hard to imagine right now, but stacking another lost season in 2025 on top of those in 2023 and 2024 and his roster spot in 2026 would be far from locked up.

The Bucs clearly don’t expect that to be the case, though. Hopes are high for SirVocea Dennis as his third NFL season nears, and another vote of confidence from the general manager who drafted him two Aprils ago certainly won’t hurt as he puts in the work to prepare for a full season of playing next to the legendary Lavonte David.