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Free-agent outside linebacker Al-Quadin Muhammad, who had 11 sacks last season with the Lions, visited the Bucs on Thursday. ©Rick Osentoski
The Bucs’ search for pass-rush help led them to host veteran defensive lineman Al-Quadin Muhammad for a visit on Thursday.
The former Miami Hurricane is coming off a productive season with the Lions, recording 11 sacks and reestablishing himself as a disruptive presence off the edge.
Muhammad, 30, was a sixth-round draft pick of the Saints in 2017. He spent parts of five seasons with the Colts before stints with the Bears and Cowboys.
The Bucs’ No. 1 goal this offseason has been to improve a pass rush that produced only 37 sacks last season, the fewest since Todd Bowles arrived as defensive coordinator in 2019. Yaya Diaby led the team with only seven.
They reportedly were in the mix for Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson, who agreed to a four-year, $112 million deal with the Ravens after they rescinded a trade for the Raiders’ Maxx Crosby.
The 6-foot-3, 250-pound Muhammad played in all 17 games last season with the Lions but started none of them, thriving mostly as a rotational pass rusher opposite Aidan Hutchinson, who had 14 ½ sacks.
While Muhammad may be headed to the Bucs, former Tampa Bay defensive back Christian Izien is signing a one-year deal with the Lions.
Izien has been a versatile player for the Bucs the past three seasons, seeing time at nickel cornerback, defensive back and safety.
But the Bucs decided not to tender him as a restricted free agent when the new league year began on Wednesday.
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