Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ big free-agent signing, Alex Anzalone, was one of the biggest issues of the game for the team. Anzalone gave up a few big passes in coverage, missed two tackles, according to PFF, and was the Bucs’ lowest-graded player.
He finished the game with a 32.3 grade, with a 36 run defense grade and a 39 coverage grade. While head coach Todd Bowles acknowledged that Anzalone could have been better in certain areas, he made it clear that he thought the new addition was fine in man coverage.
“HC Todd Bowles says ILB Alex Anzalone was fine in man to man coverage. He missed a couple of tackles. As far as Mike Gesicki’s big plays that they allowed. There were zone coverages where they didn’t drop the right way,” tweeted Pewter Report.
One of the issues is that it appears Anzalone was the one who did not drop into the right spot when Gesicki scored.
“Todd Bowles on the 2nd CIN TD. Looks like Tykee has Higgins MEG, Parrish has the flat, and that would mean Anzalone is the coverage bust based on Todd’s comments,” tweeted Josh Queipo of Pewter Report.
Between the issues in zone and the missed tackles, his few snaps in man coverage could not overcome the poor day he had. The Bucs need a lot more from Anzalone.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Get Disappointing Debut from Alex Anzalone
The Bucs signed Anzalone to a two-year, $17M deal this offseason. Tampa Bay gave him the green dot, meaning he calls the plays for the defense. So, he is not leaving the field.
Anzalone has been a full-time starter since 2021. He started for a playoff defense from 2022 through 2024. It is a new defense, and the Bengals‘ offense is hard to handle. So, there is reason to think this was just a blip on the radar.
At the same time, Anzalone is 32 years old this season. The Lions let him go in an effort to get younger at linebacker. Did the Bucs buy a player on the decline?
Bucs Additions Have Up-and-Down Debut on Defense
Anzalone joined A’Shawn Robinson, Al-Quadin Muhammad and Rakeem Nunez-Roches as the big free agent additions on defense. With Ruben Bain, Josiah Trotter and Keionte Scott in the mix as rookies, the team has seven new faces ready to change the defense.
Robinson, Trotter, Muhammad, and Scott all played well in their debuts. Robinson started and had a 78.3 grade, per PFF. Trotter had an interception and a sack. Muhammad added two pressures, and Scott had two solid run stops.
However, Bain, Anzalone, and Nunez-Roches were not as strong. Bain failed to record a pressure on 24 pass-rush snaps. Anzalone obviously struggled, and Nunez-Roches was only on the field for 16 snaps in his return to Tampa Bay.
The hope is that these three can start to improve and flash more in the coming weeks.
Todd Bowles Backs Bucs Veteran After Disappointing Debut