The Tampa Bay Buccaneers trimmed their roster to 53 men for the start of the regular season on Tuesday, and 27 of those who remain play defense, as opposed to just 23 on offense, and it was definitely a given and take. The Buccaneers, for instance, kept six outside linebackers, something they had done in 2023 for the first time in the Todd Bowles era, and that another position – specifically in this case one on offense – had to go a little lighter.

"It was really the cross-position [decisions] made," said Bowles on Tuesday. "You're weighing the [sixth] outside 'backer against the sixth receiver, and that type of stuff. But we felt it's hard to get pass-rushers in this league, and hopefully we can get [receivers] through to the practice squad and bring them up as needed."

The Buccaneers also kept 11 defensive backs, which is one more than the most common allotment the team has settled on in years past. They are specifically listed as five cornerbacks and six safeties, but a handful of them have positional flexibility, and several safeties are in the running to be the slot corner.

"We've got a lot of guys at the safety position that are very good special teams players, and they can help us on teams, especially at the gunner spot, as well as corner," said Bowles. "A lot of them play nickel as well and they're multi-talented so it was hard to let them go."

Forming the regular season roster did not answer every question about the Buccaneers' 2024 defense, however. Some uncertainties remain, and likely will remain until this unit has a couple games under its belt. Let's take a closer look at three of those questions about the Bucs' new-look defense.

1. Who is going to be the primary slot corner and how many safeties will have significant roles on defense?

Last year, Christian Izien went from undrafted free agent to a "starting" spot on the Buccaneers' defense as the slot corner with an impressive run in training camp. He held onto that job throughout his rookie season and is still on hand to reprise the role if the coaches choose to go in that direction. However, he clearly has very strong competition for the spot from one of this year's rookies. The Buccaneers used a third-round pick on Georgia's Tykee Smith in large part because they felt he could play that position as well as safety. It may have been telling that when the Bucs were playing preseason games without the safety duo of Antoine Winfield Jr. and Jordan Whitehead, they started a game with Izien at safety and Smith in the slot.

Tavierre Thomas, a lifelong corner who is being used at safety by the Buccaneers, also is in consideration for the nickel job, something he has plenty of experience doing in the NFL. Whoever wins the job has to show toughness and a willingness to hit because the nickel is more likely to be directly involved in run defense than the outside cornerbacks. The abilities to blitz out of the slot and to provide coverage in the crowded middle of the field are important, too.

As Bowles notes above, the Bucs went deep at the safety position because of that flexibility and their utility on special teams, but they also might find ways to get more of them on the field on defense. If Smith or Izien wins the slot corner job, could the Buccaneers find another way to use the other one in addition to Winfield and Whitehead? The Bucs also like what second-year safety Kaevon Merriweather provides, particularly around the line of scrimmage, and may have some plans in store for him, as well.

2. Who will emerge as the most productive outside linebacker across from Yaya Diaby?

Diaby didn't play in the preseason because of a high ankle sprain suffered early in training camp, and Bowles said on Monday he couldn't say with absolute certainty that the second-year edge rusher will be ready for the regular season opener. Bowles did say it was "trending" in that direction. Even if Diaby misses a game or two, he is clearly entrenched as one of the two starters at outside linebacker after a fantastic rookie season that included a team-high 7.5 sacks. Diaby was drawing raves early in camp for apparently taking his game to another level before he was sidelined by the injury.

With Shaq Barrett departed, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, a 2021 first-round pick who is heading into the final year of his rookie contract, appears slated to start the season across from Diaby on the opening line. Bowles likes Tryon-Shoyinka's versatility, as he can also slide inside on third downs or drop into coverage. He was a starter to begin last season but was eventually overtaken by an ascending Diaby. Could this year's Day Two rookie, Alabama's Chris Braswell, make the same sort of push? The Bucs want more pressure off the edges in non-blitz situations in 2024, so whichever player is most consistently getting into the quarterback's personal space is going to rise to the front of the playing-time line.

The Buccaneers also have the steady Anthony Nelson, who has produced between 3.0 and 5.5 sacks in each of the last three seasons. They went deep at the position by also holding onto young players Markees Watts and Jose Ramirez. Watts made the active roster as an undrafted free agent last season but ultimately didn't see much playing time; his ascension to a larger role probably hinges on him proving he can set the edge against the run. Ramirez spent his rookie season on the practice squad but that appears to have honed his game and he led the team with 3.0 sacks in the preseason.

3. How dominant can the Vita Vea-Calijah Kancey duo be in the middle of the trenches?

Kancey will start his second season healthy after a calf injury robbed him of most of training camp and the first month of the season. He admitted that it took him some time to shake off the rust after that, but this year he should be able to hit the ground running. Kancey showed signs of the lightning-fast get-off and quick penetration skills that made him the 19th overall pick in the 2023 draft, collecting 4.0 sacks, 12 quarterback hits and 10 tackles for loss.

Meanwhile, Vea used the offseason to reshape his body, getting back to the weight he carried during his peak seasons, which included a Pro Bowl campaign in 2021. Vea was still getting after the passer the past two years, with 6.5 sacks in 2022 and 5.5 last year, but there is likely the potential for more if he can show improved stamina and thus stay on the field for more snaps.

But what is particularly intriguing is what these two might present as a combination in the middle of the trenches. With Vea hitting opposing linemen with immense power and Kancey countering with that ability to get through creases, they will hopefully be too much for some blockers to handle. Will opposing defenses be forced to double-team Vea and thus create more room for Kancey, or might they react to Kancey's quick first step in a way that draws attention away from Vea. And if opposing lines choose to pay extra attention to both of them, what will that mean for the guys on the edges? The Bucs hope the answer proves to be good one in 2024.

Don't miss out on Tampa Bay's biggest party. Click HERE to get single game tickets!