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TAMPA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 12: Yaya Diaby #0 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrates after his sack against the San Francisco 49ers with Elijah Roberts #95 during the first quarter in the game at Raymond James Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are expecting strong second seasons from former draft picks Jacob Parrish and Elijah Roberts. Todd Bowles said he has already seen that both have added notable size this offseason, showing they are ready to take that step this season.

Jacob Parrish was a third-round draft pick from Kansas State. Given the draft capital, he was expected to have some role. He played primarily in the slot and got thrown into that role in Week 1, playing in every game and logging 747 total snaps.

Elijah Roberts was a fifth-round draft pick from SMU last season. Despite the later draft capital, he ended up playing in every game and starting nine games for the Bucs. Overall, he played 506 total snaps as a rookie.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Expect More From Their Productive Rookies

Both outperformed their rookie season expectations, but the Bucs defense struggled down the stretch, and the team brought in enough competition to ensure that no one is guaranteed a starting spot.

Along the interior defensive line, the Bucs signed A’Shawn Robinson and Rakeem Nunez-Roches, who are both expected to get snaps ahead of Roberts. The Bucs are also getting Calijah Kancy back from injury, and they drafted DeMonte Capehart, who will be behind Roberts in the pecking order, but this does exemplify the competition added.

Meanwhile, last year, it was Parrish who pushed Tykee Smith from the slot to safety. Now, the Bucs drafted Keionte Scott in round four. He is a slot or safety hybrid player and could end up pushing both Parrish and Smith this year. Tampa Bay also signed Chase Lucas this offseason, who primarily works in the slot and has starting experience.

Parrish has outside starting experience going back to college, and the Bucs have questionable depth on the outside, so Tampa Bay might have asked Parrish to be ready to work on the outside more in 2026. Showing up at a noticeably different size subscribes to the idea that he is ready for more outside work.

Both of these players are expected to have roles in 2026, but neither is expected to be gifted anything based on how they played in 2025.

Buccaneers Defense is Deeper Than Ever Under Bowles

The Bucs already saw these players contribute, and while they will be pushed this offseason, that should only make them stronger. Bowles praising them this early into the offseason shows that they are both ahead of schedule, and the head coach sees them having strong seasons, despite the added depth around them.

Overall, it should only make the Buccaneers better. If Roberts has the same role, or slightly smaller, but is more impactful in it, the defense should improve, and his contributions will be noticed more. Beyond that, the versatility that Parrish, Scott, and Smith bring gives the Bucs different looks on the back end.

The name that did not get mentioned with these two was second-year cornerback Benjamin Morrison. He comes in with more questions than the players drafted behind him, and did not get mentioned.