Steve McLendon practiced just once with his new team this week, but it didn’t matter.
In his debut with the Bucs, McLendon recorded five total tackles, including a tackle for loss, in just 25 snaps. The 34-year-old immediately made his presence felt, as no interior defensive lineman on Tampa Bay’s roster has matched those numbers since Ndamukong Suh in Week 2.
McLendon didn’t miss a beat, making a seamless transition to Tampa Bay’s defense. It certainly helps that he is more than familiar with the scheme from his days with Todd Bowles and Kacy Rodgers in New York. That was certainly a factor in why the Bucs elected to acquire McLendon from the Jets last week.
While McLendon was making an impact for his new team, Foley Fataukasi saw a spike in playing time, playing 39 of New York’s 72 defensive snaps on Sunday. While the Jets’ decision to trade McLendon gave the veteran a chance to win, it also allows them to evaluate a player like Fatuakasi in a lost season, as New York dropped to 0-7 in Week 7.