Tampa Bay Buccaneers DE Elijah Roberts 'coming on' as a rookie

Former SMU defensive end Elijah Roberts is climbing his way up the ranks of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a rookie. Bucs head coach Todd Bowles shared where he’s at in his development this week

“Elijah [Roberts] is coming on – he’s coming on [really] well,” Bowles said this week. “Obviously, with the pass rush he’s coming along, but he’s coming along in the run game and he’s playing fast.”

This past weekend against Philadelphia, Roberts added a tackle. Roberts though is getting an opportunity in a defense that is off to an average start.

“We come out well, it’s just a different guy here or there that busts an assignment that causes a play to get going,” Bowles said. “Then, it’s another guy the next play, and another guy the next play, and before you know it they’ve got seven points.”

Tampa’s defense did not allow the Eagles to complete a pass in the second half and the Bucs limited star Eagles back Saquon Barkley to 43 yards on 19 carries. That wasn’t enough to overcome a rough start, falling 31-25.

When the Bucs drafted the SMU defensive end in the fifth round earlier this year, the staff saw a high-motor type of player. In his four games, he’s inching his way into more snaps as the season goes along.

“Another one who plays with a really high motor,” Vice President of Player Personnel Mike Biehl said after the organization drafted Roberts. “He’s strong and tough. He gets after the quarterback. He’s another one who wins a lot with technique, instincts and effort. He’s got a relentless style of play, which is very similar to David Walker in that way.

“I also think that he’s got enough grit and toughness to him, and strength, that he can hunker down, too, but he definitely has some twitch to get upfield and shoot gaps. He’s not Calijah Kancey, but that’s the type of player we’re talking about.”