Entering Year Two with the Buccaneers, inside linebacker SirVocea Dennis is embracing his rotational role and staying ready for the moment his number is called. Dennis, a fifth-round pick by the Bucs in 2023, played primarily on special teams last season but posted 101 snaps on defense. With great play recognition, Dennis only had four missed tackles registered in 2022 for the University of Pittsburgh and notched 36.0 tackles for loss over his last 35 games at the collegiate level. For Tampa Bay, his blitz capability adds another dimension to pressure packages. He intercepted Kyle Trask on Sunday during practice and continues to display his versatility.
Training camp has provided the first glimpse at Liam Coen's retooled offense, with an emphasis on diversity and motion to keep defenses off-balance. The new offensive system and the 'eye candy' it presents, has helped Todd Bowles' defense by providing a variety of looks. Exposure to a complex palette during practice will serve the defense well on gamedays, allowing the unit to play fast and know how to properly fit each assignment in certain scenarios.
"You see a lot of things and you know, football, it is all concepts," said Dennis. "Everybody learns the same thing but with Liam, everything is – it's one play but out of 15, 20 different looks. He has a lot of moving parts, a lot of eye candy and things to get you out of your gap and zones and everything there so Liam's offense is definitely hard to scheme but it is fun to watch."
In the linebacker room, Dennis is learning from one of the best off-ball linebackers in the game, Lavonte David. David sets the standard of excellence in Tampa Bay, having achieved both consistency and longevity over the previous decade. Dennis not only watches David's leadership and the way he conducts himself, but he studies No. 54's tape to foster ascension.
"You turn on the film and you learn something new that he does, whether that is his rookie year or now," remarked Dennis. "That is 12 years of football. You turn on the film and you watch everything that he does. You see what you can add to your game and what he did wrong, what he did right. Not only that, since he is in the room, talk to him. Say, 'What did you see here? What is going on here?' His knowledge and his expertise and him just talking to us about the game – not only on the field but off the field, is huge."
Picking the brain of David, one of the best who has ever played the position, will help catapult Dennis forward.
