Ok.J. Britt made a quick, but favorable impression as Tampa Bay’s beginning center linebacker final 12 months, changing Devin White down the stretch. With White not re-signed in free company, Britt is the present favourite to interchange the five-year starter because the full-time Mike linebacker.
Britt began six of the final seven video games of the Bucs’ 2023 season, together with the playoffs, and introduced stability and consistency to the linebacker place that White simply couldn’t ship in his contract 12 months. Whereas Britt was listed because the starter down the stretch, Bucs head coach Todd Bowles truly platooned Britt and White. Britt, who’s extra of a downhill thumper, was primarily used on first and second downs, whereas Bowles would usually deploy White on third downs and apparent passing downs to reap the benefits of his protection and blitzing potential.
The Bucs love Britt’s skilled demeanor, and after three years primarily as a core particular groups participant, co-defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach Larry Foote looks like he is able to develop into a full-time beginning linebacker in Tampa Bay this season.
“He’s a severe dude,” Foote mentioned of Britt. “He’s bodily, he’s sort of a throwback. Downhill linebacker, bought nice instincts, is aware of methods to discover the ball. He loves ball, he’s severe, every single day he’s early to the conferences. He does an excellent job finding out, understanding the road changes, the stunts, he communicates. You ask D-linemen, they like that, it helps them play quicker. He’s a real professional, simply occupied with Ok.J. he’s a professional, he loves soccer.”
However with the intention to be an each down participant like Lavonte David, Britt wants to enhance in move protection.
Ok.J. Britt Desires To Be An Each-Down LB For The Bucs
Bucs ILB KJ Britt and Eagles QB Jalen Hurts – Picture by: USA Immediately
If K.J. Britt desires to get out of the platoon state of affairs he was in final 12 months and play all three downs, he’s going to want to indicate he can deal with every part Bucs head coach and defensive play-caller Todd Bowles places on his plate. Britt’s PFF coverage grade in the course of the time that he began was usually round 60, which is under common, except a street recreation towards Atlanta the place it rocketed as much as 81.
Britt, who’s coming into a contract 12 months, is a bodily power and is constant within the run recreation together with his certain tackling potential. However in coaching camp he’s going to have to indicate Foote and Bowles that he shouldn’t be taken off the sector on any down or play.
“Anytime you’re a Mike linebacker you’re extra bodily,” Foote mentioned. “You’re higher going ahead. What his job goes to be is show to Todd (Bowles) I may be on the sector for all three downs. The peak, weight, measurements and all that stuff are all thrown out the window. Are you able to do it?
“That’s when my job kicks in so far as getting him to know his leverage and understanding the protection. In the event you’re a Mike linebacker you’ve bought to show to the coordinator, and it is a passing league, you’ve bought to show to him that I can keep on the sector on third down.”
Bucs Backup LBs SirVocea Dennis And J.J. Russell Are Additionally In The Combine To Begin
Would Todd Bowles contemplate rotating different linebackers with Ok.J. Britt in a platoon state of affairs like final 12 months, as he did with Devin White on third downs? Tampa Bay can have SirVocea Dennis going into his second 12 months and J.J. Russell is heading into his third season. Each linebackers every bought one begin final 12 months and made an excellent first impression.
Bucs ILB SirVocea Dennis – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Russell began in a single recreation final season in the course of the 21-18 win over the Panthers in Week 13 and had seven tackles for loss and a sack. His 71 snaps in that recreation had been his solely defensive snaps all season. Dennis began the Colts recreation the earlier week and confirmed early on that he has the flexibility in move protection and did fairly effectively when put into a much bigger function due to Lavonte David’s damage at San Francisco.
The center linebacker job is Britt’s to lose, and the full-time function is Britt’s to achieve. Tampa Bay cross-trains a lot of its defensive players, whether or not it’s at security, nickel cornerback or the group’s linebackers at each the center (Mike) and weakside (Cash) spots.
“The place the league is, it’s 11 personnel so these two guys are interchangeable,” Bucs inside linebackers coach Larry Foote mentioned. “You bought to have the ability to play each spots. I practice these guys, the entire room, you bought to know each spots if you wish to make this group and also you need to play.
Bucs ILB Ok.J. Britt – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
He’s (Dennis) is extra athletic like a Lavonte David, he’s cerebral within the move recreation, he does an excellent job, he was an ideal blitzer in school. He does have a knack at speeding the passer, however it’s simply competitors time.”
Along with Dennis difficult Britt for enjoying time at Mike linebacker, Foote mentioned that Russell can also be within the working for an upgraded function.
“Completely,” he mentioned. “In the event you’re on this room, every single day you go on the market you audition. He stepped up for us huge time final 12 months, I don’t know in case you bear in mind however Ok.J. bought damage early and we needed to throw a DB (Ryan Neal) in there [versus Carolina]. He did an excellent job speaking, and that’s what you need.
“You need these guys to have the ability to talk, don’t miss a beat, and the starters, the outdated guys, they demand that from you, so these guys bought to be prepared when your identify is named. He did an ideal job for us. He’s bodily, he’s a professional man, he’s prepared.”
