While most of the talk around the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is about rookie quarterback Jameis Winston, the Bucs defense is in the process of transforming itself as well. While Winston and new offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter will have a huge impact on the offense, there’s one addition on the defense whose role will be almost as important to that side of the ball.

Bruce Carter hasn’t just found himself a new home in Tampa, the fifth-year linebacker finds himself in a new position as Carter will take over at middle linebacker for the departed Mason Foster. Foster had trouble covering the kind of ground a middle linebacker in Lovie Smith’s Cover-2 system needs to cover, so the Buccaneers set their sights on finding a more athletic and fluid middle linebacker this offseason.

Tampa Bay wasn’t nearly as active in free agency this year after striking out big a year ago, but the team targeted players like Carter, Henry Melton, and defensive back Sterling Moore who had previous experience playing in the Cover-2. For Carter, the transition to a new team, and a new position is being made easier by his comfort level with the defensive concepts.

“I think it makes it a lot easier, just knowing the scheme overall,” Carter told Football Insiders. “For me as an individual, a player learning a new position, especially middle linebacker, it takes some time to get used to it and working at it. [Linebackers] Coach Hardy [Nickerson] has been doing a great job of helping me out with my keys and reads.”

The middle linebacker is important in any scheme, but having a backer who can cover the middle of the field is imperative in the Cover-2 that Lovie and the Buccaneers run. When asked about the importance of the position during Buccaneers’ OTAs, Smith alluded to the importance of being strong at the middle and weak-side linebacker positions.

“It’s very important. It’s the Mike and Will (linebacker),” Smith explained. “Which one is more important? Was Hardy Nickerson less important than Derrick Brooks? Eh, you know. Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs – a tandem that I’ve had in the past, you need both of them. They’re going to play most of the time. We normally don’t take them out. Some teams go to dime when you match up, (but) they (the Mike and Will linebacker) are going to be up on the field always, really, with us. So, yes, very important. Once we get going, he’ll be able to check out of blitzes, put us in the right call, a lot of things we ask of him.”

Those adjustments and responsibilities will be very important to the Buccaneers, as Carter’s adjustment isn’t just about him. Carter needs to learn his own position, but also know the responsibilities of his teammates as the middle linebacker. Even on a team with guys like Gerald McCoy and Lavonte David, Carter will need to develop into a leader for the Buccaneers because of the importance of his position and roles in this defense.

We asked Lovie Smith if Carter needed to develop into a leader for this defense, and his answer was no surprise to anyone who has seen successful Cover-2 defenses.

“Yes he does,” Smith told Football Insiders. “There is a lot we ask of our linebackers, starting with making the calls. Bruce has done that. He has good athletic ability. Just look at our history with Mike linebackers – any good defense, it starts there. He is the quarterback of the defense. Bruce can handle all that, so we are excited about what we think he is going to bring to the table. I think he had about five interceptions, so he’s a playmaker too. We need all that.”

For Carter, becoming a leader of the Buccaneers defense will be helped along by the fact that he’s comfortable with the schemes, but also because of the nature of his defensive teammates in Tampa Bay. McCoy and David may be superstar level defensive talents, but they’re also great teammates, and they’ve welcomed Carter in with open arms. While Carter has been sidelined with an injury, the team has been able to get in some work with their new middle linebacker, and McCoy told us there’s already a comfort level between the players.

“He’s been out for a little bit, dealing with his injury. He had surgery, but he’s healing up and he hit the ground running. He jumped right in, very loud with his calls, McCoy told Football Insiders. “You never have to worry about him giving you the right or left call or getting the call to you. He’s leading by example, just how he comes to work every day, how he prepares, how he focuses, how he gets guys in the huddle, gets us out, gets us all lined up. He’s going to be huge for us, definitely.”

Carter’s importance to the Buccaneers cannot be overstated. While the Bucs offense was atrocious in 2014, the defense was not much better. While the defense seemed to catch on to the schemes towards the end of the season, they had some really poor performances including giving up 56 points to the Atlanta Falcons, 37 points to the New Orleans Saints, 34 points to the Detroit Lions, and 48 points to the Baltimore Ravens, including giving up four touchdown passes to Joe Flacco in the first quarter.

Many of the Buccaneers defensive issues came from an inability to cover the middle of the field, as tight ends were often left far too open. Carter’s ability to cover will be his most important asset if the Buccaneers defense is going to make the giant leap it will need to if Tampa wants to be competitive in 2015.

On a linebacker unit that boasts one of the league’s best in David, and one of the league’s most surprising players last season, Danny Lansanah, Carter has an opportunity to grab a hold of his new role and become a leader on a defense where he also fills a glaring hole.

This is a huge opportunity for Carter to not just be a productive NFL linebacker, but to be a leader of a defense trying to turn it around. Without question, how Carter fits in the middle, will greatly determine the success of the 2015 Buccaneers.

So, while everyone is watching the new quarterback on Tampa Bay’s offense, don’t forget to stick around and watch the defense’s new quarterback as well. After all, Carter and Winston will both have to come up huge if this Tampa Bay team is to sniff the playoffs.