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An ESPN offseason preview recently highlighted what it believes is the biggest roster need for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers heading into free agency: A pass rusher at EDGE.
According to ESPN, Tampa Bay’s most pressing need sits along the defensive front seven, particularly at edge rusher and off-ball linebacker. The Buccaneers have continued to generate pressure in Todd Bowles’ aggressive scheme, but they’ve struggled to find consistent pass-rush production opposite rising edge rusher YaYa Diaby.
The numbers from the 2025 season help show why it’s a concern. Tampa Bay finished the year with 37 total sacks, averaging just over two per game across the season. Diaby led the team with seven sacks and was easily the most disruptive pass rusher on the roster, also generating 62 pressures and posting a strong pressure rate throughout the year. But outside of him, the Buccaneers never found another edge defender who could consistently finish plays in the backfield.
Because of that, the defense often relied heavily on blitz packages to create pressure rather than generating it with a traditional four-man rush. A one-year experiment with veteran edge rusher Haason Reddick was expected to help address that issue, but it didn’t provide the consistent impact the Buccaneers hoped for as he finished with only 2.5 sacks. With that in mind, Tampa Bay could once again be searching for a reliable pass-rushing partner to line up opposite Diaby heading into the 2026 season.
That puts general manager Jason Licht in a familiar position, as in the last few offseasons, looking to reinforce the heart of Todd Bowles’ defense with speed, range, and pass-rush ability. The Buccaneers have built their defensive identity around aggressive front-seven play, but finding players who can consistently turn pressures into sacks has been an ongoing challenge. Free agency could offer a few different solutions. Tampa Bay could target a veteran edge rusher who can step into a starting role right away, while also looking to add depth to the rotation.
Options include Trey Hendrickson as the main, as he has been linked to wanting to play in Tampa, a homecoming of sorts, as he is from Orlando.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: NFL Offseason: Edge rusher remains the Bucs biggest need
Continue reading...
According to ESPN, Tampa Bay’s most pressing need sits along the defensive front seven, particularly at edge rusher and off-ball linebacker. The Buccaneers have continued to generate pressure in Todd Bowles’ aggressive scheme, but they’ve struggled to find consistent pass-rush production opposite rising edge rusher YaYa Diaby.
The numbers from the 2025 season help show why it’s a concern. Tampa Bay finished the year with 37 total sacks, averaging just over two per game across the season. Diaby led the team with seven sacks and was easily the most disruptive pass rusher on the roster, also generating 62 pressures and posting a strong pressure rate throughout the year. But outside of him, the Buccaneers never found another edge defender who could consistently finish plays in the backfield.
Because of that, the defense often relied heavily on blitz packages to create pressure rather than generating it with a traditional four-man rush. A one-year experiment with veteran edge rusher Haason Reddick was expected to help address that issue, but it didn’t provide the consistent impact the Buccaneers hoped for as he finished with only 2.5 sacks. With that in mind, Tampa Bay could once again be searching for a reliable pass-rushing partner to line up opposite Diaby heading into the 2026 season.
That puts general manager Jason Licht in a familiar position, as in the last few offseasons, looking to reinforce the heart of Todd Bowles’ defense with speed, range, and pass-rush ability. The Buccaneers have built their defensive identity around aggressive front-seven play, but finding players who can consistently turn pressures into sacks has been an ongoing challenge. Free agency could offer a few different solutions. Tampa Bay could target a veteran edge rusher who can step into a starting role right away, while also looking to add depth to the rotation.
Options include Trey Hendrickson as the main, as he has been linked to wanting to play in Tampa, a homecoming of sorts, as he is from Orlando.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: NFL Offseason: Edge rusher remains the Bucs biggest need
Continue reading...
