The Tampa Bay Buccaneers trimmed their roster to 53 men for the start of the regular season on Tuesday, and 27 of those who remain play defense, as opposed to just 23 on offense, and it was definitely a given and take. The Buccaneers, for instance, kept six outside linebackers, something they had done in 2023 for the first time in the Todd Bowles era, and that another position – specifically in this case one on offense – had to go a little lighter.

"It was really the cross-position [decisions] made," said Bowles on Tuesday. "You're weighing the [sixth] outside 'backer against the sixth receiver, and that type of stuff. But we felt it's hard to get pass-rushers in this league, and hopefully we can get [receivers] through to the practice squad and bring them up as needed."

The Buccaneers a

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