![\"Rakeem](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/TOS-Z-TBB-DL-RETURNS-0812-01.jpg\")
Rakeem Nunez-Roches has infused training camp with a lively enthusiasm since returning to the Bucs after spending the past three seasons with the Giants. (Jefferee Woo\/Tampa Bay Times)<\/p>\nTAMPA \u2014 When Rakeem Nunez-Roches last wore a Bucs uniform, fans were still basking in the glow of a Super Bowl victory two years earlier. Tom Brady was winding down his Tampa Bay tenure, and Todd Bowles was coming off his first season as head coach.<\/p>\n
Four seasons later, the veteran defensive tackle has returned to a different team \u2014 one that missed the playoffs for the first time in six years, is reeling over contract disputes and is looking to rebuild on both sides of the ball.<\/p>\n
Nunez-Roches\u2019 attitude does little to betray the difference. He has once again infused training camp with a lively enthusiasm, saying he looks forward to another season in\u00a0Tampa Bay. He even rocked custom orange \u201cNacho\u201d socks at Sunday\u2019s practice, in honor of the nickname given to him by his teammates.<\/p>\n
\u201cGlad to be back home,\u201d Nunez-Roches said. \u201cIt feels like riding a bike again. Just get back on and do what you do.\u201d<\/p>\n
The 33-year-old nose tackle played for the Bucs from 2018-22. He then signed a three-year, $12 million contract with the Giants before returning to Tampa Bay in April on a one-year deal, part of the team\u2019s attempt to fortify its defense.<\/p>\n
He said the addition of rookie talent is one of the biggest differences he sees between this squad and the one that won the\u00a0Super Bowl\u00a0six seasons ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got a lot of young guys,\u201d Nunez-Roches said. \u201cSo it\u2019s just teaching them what it looks like, just giving them that tenacity and answering their questions, because sometimes they\u2019re still trying to learn.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nunez-Roches brings a veteran perspective and a nostalgic glow to the roster. Across his five seasons in\u00a0Tampa Bay, he played in 68 games, made 22 starts and recorded 81 tackles.<\/p>\n
He started 11 of 16 games in 2020, moving up in the lineup after\u00a0Vita Vea\u00a0suffered a serious ankle injury in Week 5. In 2022, Nunez-Roches tallied two sacks and 33 tackles, including a career-high 19 solo stops.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s a chance he\u2019ll have to step up in Vea\u2019s absence again, should the veteran nose tackle remain at an impasse with the team\u00a0over his contract. The depth chart remains murky, but Nunez-Roches would be well prepared to take more snaps.<\/p>\n
In his final season with the Giants, he tallied 23 tackles and three sacks across nine games (five starts) before going on injured reserve with an ankle issue. Nunez-Roches said Sunday that he\u2019s fully recovered and more explosive than ever.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like my game is like it was last year,\u201d Nunez-Roches said. \u201cI still feel powerful. I don\u2019t want to talk about the age, but I still feel like I can do what I do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rakeem Nunez-Roches has infused training camp with a lively enthusiasm since returning to the Bucs after spending the past three seasons with the Giants. (Jefferee Woo\/Tampa Bay Times)<\/p>\n
He is joined on defense by several young players \u2014 including top draft picks\u00a0Rueben Bain Jr. and\u00a0Josiah Trotter\u00a0\u2014 as well as former Lions linebackers\u00a0Alex Anzalone\u00a0and\u00a0Al-Quadin Muhammad, and former Panthers defensive lineman A\u2019Shawn Robinson, among others.<\/p>\n
The experience of that core will be important, especially if Vea refrains from playing or is traded. The players already jell well. Nunez-Roches called himself and Robinson a \u201cyin-yang\u201d pair, given their time together in\u00a0New York\u00a0in 2023.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s my guy,\u201d Nunez-Roches said. \u201cI\u2019m loud \u2026 but A\u2019Shawn\u2019s just behind the scenes, and he puts paws on people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Attitude aside, the defense has looked strong in training camp, consistently working its way into the backfield. The rookies, returning players and new additions have all contributed.<\/p>\n
But is this one of the best defenses Nunez-Roches has ever been a part of?<\/p>\n
\u201cI will say this is one of the most talented defenses,\u201d Nunez-Roches said. \u201cNow you have to sit there and show it, day in and day out.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"TAMPA \u2014 When Rakeem Nunez-Roches last wore a Bucs uniform, fans were still basking in the glow of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":367058,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[119,76046,110,135,2964,137,136],"class_list":["post-367057","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tampa","tag-nfl","tag-social-sports","tag-sports","tag-tampa","tag-tampa-bay-buccaneers","tag-tampa-headlines","tag-tampa-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/367057","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=367057"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/367057\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/367058"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=367057"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=367057"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=367057"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}