Just as it seems the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are starting to gel on defense, they’ve been dealt a setback.
The Buccaneers open NFC South play against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, and they’ll have to do so without veteran inside linebacker Christian Rozeboom.
“Bucs have placed LB Christian Rozeboom on injured reserve with a finger injury sustained in Sunday’s loss,” Fox Sports NFL reporter Greg Auman wrote on his official X account on Thursday. “They’ve also activated WR David Sills from injured reserve, and he can make his Bucs debut Sunday at Carolina.”
Rozeboom missed the season-opening loss to the Cincinnati Bengals with a foot injury.
Bucs Figured Out Three-Headed Monster at LB
Why it particularly sucks for Rozeboom to get hurt right now — he’ll miss the next 4 games, at least — is because Buccaneers head coach/defensive coordinator Todd Bowles seemed to have finally figured out the secret sauce of a three-man linebacker rotation between Alex Anzalone, rookie Josiah Trotter and Rozeboom.
“I appreciated Todd Bowles’ defensive wrinkle bringing in Christian Rozeboom as the third inside linebacker to counter 12 personnel,” Pewter Report’s Adam Slivon wrote on his official X account on October 19. “Nice wrinkle in Bowles’ defense going with three inside linebackers to neutralize a lot of the 12 personnel sets the Steelers run. Worked with Christian Rozeboom coming on and breaking up a pass on third-and-2.”
“We got Christian Rozeboom hooping lol this crazy,” Bucs Wire’s EMT Ashlie wrote on their official X account on October 19.
Bucs Signed Rozeboom to Free-Agent Contract
The Buccaneers signed Rozeboom to a 1-year, $1.55 million free-agent contract on March 23.
“Christian Rozeboom, 29, gives the Bucs a second veteran linebacker with extensive starting experience,” Fox Sports NFL reporter Greg Auman wrote on his official X account. “Late bloomer had 257 tackles in last two years with Rams and Panthers after totaling 90 in his first three years. 12 TFLs, two INTs, three sacks over last two years as well … Bucs have now signed two linebackers who were every-game NFL starters last year.”
Rozeboom, 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds, starred for FCS South Dakota State, where he set the school record with 475 career tackles to go with 29 TFL, 6.0 sacks, 8 forced fumbles, and 8 interceptions.
After becoming a 4-time All-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection, Rozeboom went undrafted in 2020 and signed with the Los Angeles Rams. He spent 2020 on the Rams’ practice squad, then was signed to the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad in 2021, where he made his NFL regular-season debut.
The Rams reacquired Rozeboom from Kansas City’s practice squad, and he played the final 9 regular-season games in 2021 for the Rams, helping the team win the Super Bowl.
Rozeboom spent 3 more seasons with the Rams, becoming a full-time starter for the 1st time in 2024, and put up a career-high 135 tackles. He signed a 1-year, $2.5 million free agent contract with the Panthers in 2025. He delivered 122 tackles, 7 TFL, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble return, and 1 interception as Carolina unseated the Buccaneers as NFC South champions and made the playoffs for the 1st time since 2017.
Buccaneers Place Super Bowl Champion LB on Injured Reserve