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Across the board, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers weren't good enough defensively in 2025.
This applies to the secondary, which cornerbacks coach Rashad Johnson addressed Tuesday, and also applies to the men up front.
For Bucs DL coach Marcus West, this is where the game is won and lost.
"When you talk about Super Bowl wins, the position that’s talked about is the defensive line, West said Tuesday.
West then clarified that the most important position on any team is the quarterback, but the linemen are next in line.
“It’s our job to affect the quarterback," he said.
The Bucs did a good job of pressuring the QB in 2025, finishing seventh in the league with 332 pressures per Pro Football Focus.
But those pressures didn't always translate to sacks, where the Bucs finished tied for 18th, although the Bucs were tied for 11th in the league with 13 interceptions.
A lot of Tampa's pressure came from the interior, where Vita Vea, Logan Hall and Elijah Roberts were three of the team's top five leaders in total pressures per PFF.
Chances are, the Bucs would have caused even more problems for opposing QBs had young defensive tackle Calijah Kancey been healthy.
Kancey missed 14 of the team's 17 games with a torn pectoral muscle.
As West pointed out, Kancey picked up 7.5 sacks in just 12 games two seasons ago, a total that led that year's team and would have led the 2025 team, as well. The Bucs also added to their DL over the offseason, both in free agency and the draft. In free agency, Tampa signed A'Shawn Robinson, a reliable veteran (31) who helped the Carolina Panthers steal the NFC South from the Bucs last year.
But the guy most people are going to be focused on is Tampa's first-round draft pick.
Not a lot of people thought there was a chance that Miami's Rueben Bain Jr. would be available for the Bucs at pick No. 15 in last month's draft.
But he was, and general manager Jason Licht took advantage.
Now, West will be one of the people tasked with making sure Bain reaches his full potential, and if he can do that, the Bucs just might have a defensive difference-maker similar to past greats such as Derrick Brooks, Warren Sapp and the recently retired Lavonte David.
Like Bain, West is entering his first season with the Buccaneers.
Unlike Bain, West has been around the NFL for a while. He spent the last two seasons as the DL coach for the Buffalo Bills, and the two years before that as Buffalo's assistant DL coach.
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This applies to the secondary, which cornerbacks coach Rashad Johnson addressed Tuesday, and also applies to the men up front.
For Bucs DL coach Marcus West, this is where the game is won and lost.
"When you talk about Super Bowl wins, the position that’s talked about is the defensive line, West said Tuesday.
West then clarified that the most important position on any team is the quarterback, but the linemen are next in line.
“It’s our job to affect the quarterback," he said.
The Bucs did a good job of pressuring the QB in 2025, finishing seventh in the league with 332 pressures per Pro Football Focus.
But those pressures didn't always translate to sacks, where the Bucs finished tied for 18th, although the Bucs were tied for 11th in the league with 13 interceptions.
A lot of Tampa's pressure came from the interior, where Vita Vea, Logan Hall and Elijah Roberts were three of the team's top five leaders in total pressures per PFF.
Chances are, the Bucs would have caused even more problems for opposing QBs had young defensive tackle Calijah Kancey been healthy.
Kancey missed 14 of the team's 17 games with a torn pectoral muscle.
As West pointed out, Kancey picked up 7.5 sacks in just 12 games two seasons ago, a total that led that year's team and would have led the 2025 team, as well. The Bucs also added to their DL over the offseason, both in free agency and the draft. In free agency, Tampa signed A'Shawn Robinson, a reliable veteran (31) who helped the Carolina Panthers steal the NFC South from the Bucs last year.
But the guy most people are going to be focused on is Tampa's first-round draft pick.
Not a lot of people thought there was a chance that Miami's Rueben Bain Jr. would be available for the Bucs at pick No. 15 in last month's draft.
But he was, and general manager Jason Licht took advantage.
Now, West will be one of the people tasked with making sure Bain reaches his full potential, and if he can do that, the Bucs just might have a defensive difference-maker similar to past greats such as Derrick Brooks, Warren Sapp and the recently retired Lavonte David.
Like Bain, West is entering his first season with the Buccaneers.
Unlike Bain, West has been around the NFL for a while. He spent the last two seasons as the DL coach for the Buffalo Bills, and the two years before that as Buffalo's assistant DL coach.
Join our ROUNDTABLE community! It's completely free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.
Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!
Continue reading...
