The Bucs’ trip to Pittsburgh this week has been anything but smooth sailing. On one hand, practices looked sharp. But on the other hand, they turned into a nightmare for the secondary. Todd Bowles, already under the microscope heading into the season, suddenly found his safeties falling one by one. First came the gut punch of Antoine Winfield Jr. battling what Bowles himself described as an NHL-style “lower leg injury.” Then, before the defense could catch its breath, the next setback arrived.
“For the second time this training camp, the Bucs have lost a promising rookie defensive player to a season-ending knee injury,” Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds wrote on August 16. “Tampa Bay defensive back J.J. Roberts suffered a significant knee injury on special teams in the Bucs’ joint practice session on Thursday in Pittsburgh.” Just like that, a rookie who had given Bowles’ defense some much-needed depth is out for the year.
J. J. Roberts’ story made the news sting even more. He wasn’t a draft pick. He wasn’t handed anything. Instead, he had earned every single rep in camp, pushing his way toward a 53-man roster spot. But all that momentum came crashing down during that joint practice against the Steelers. And as if Roberts’ injury wasn’t enough, the Bucs defense got hit with yet another issue—Christian Izien went down, too.
“Bucs DB Christian Izien is out with an oblique injury. Not a good thing as the secondary is being tested,” NFL beat writer Rick Stroud wrote on X. The injury came during the first half against Pittsburgh, and according to JoeBucsFan.com, “Izien likely won’t be available before Week 2.”
His versatility makes him irreplaceable. He’s technically a safety, sure, but he shifts seamlessly into nickel and outside corner roles. That kind of flexibility is why Todd Bowles had already stamped him as a lock to make the roster earlier in camp. So overall, it paints an ugly picture.
Bucs DB Christian Izien is out with an oblique injury. Not a good thing as the secondary is being tested.
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) August 17, 2025
In just a few days, safety has flipped from one of Tampa Bay’s strengths into one of its glaring weaknesses. And while Izien may return very soon, Roberts won’t be so lucky. His season is over before it even had a chance to take off, and that leaves Todd Bowles with a lot of issues.
Todd Bowles’ Bucs will miss J.J. Roberts
Tampa Bay knew exactly what it was getting in J.J. Roberts. The Bucs had placed a draftable grade on the former Marshall safety and even brought him in for an official 30 visit before the 2025 NFL Draft. Although he went undrafted, the team moved quickly to sign him as a priority free agent, guaranteeing $300,000 of his rookie deal, per OverTheCap.com. Todd Bowles loved how J.J. Roberts could move all over the secondary, and the rookie proved it in camp by lining up at both safety spots and even at nickel.
But it wasn’t just practice hype. In the Bucs’ 29-7 preseason win over the Titans, Roberts popped with two pass breakups and had already snagged an interception earlier in camp. Not only that, he was also pushing hard for a roster spot as the third or fourth safety and even giving third-round pick Jacob Parrish some competition for that slot corner job.
And of course, Roberts’ versatility made him more valuable in Bowles’ defensive scheme. Not only was he on track to back up at nickel, but he also added insurance at safety behind Antoine Winfield Jr. and Tykee Smith. But that cushion is now gone. And suddenly, the depth Bowles counted on has evaporated.
As a result, the Bucs are digging deeper into the roster. The Bucs could give undrafted rookie JayVian Farr a chance to prove himself at nickel and outside corner. He joined this week as the secondary thinned out, especially with Benjamin Morrison, Josh Hayes, and Roman Parodie all missing practice. So for Todd Bowles, the juggling act in the backfield just got a lot tougher.
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