A Top-5 Defensive Line? Not Quite.
July 4th, 2024
So the annual deep dive grading of all NFL defensive lines is complete.
The Buccaneers fared very well during the excercise on SiriusXM NFL Radio performed by former scout, linebackers coach and Jets personnel director Pat Kirwan. However, the Bucs’ defensive front (NOT counting edge rusher) didn’t make the NFL’s top-5.
Kirwan grades starters and the backups with a numbering system, and he has an eye on returning stats and snaps for experience. The maximum score for a team is 20. The Bucs grabbed a 16.
That was tied for eighth in the NFL with the 49ers and Giants. Kirwan very much likes the Bucs’ “3 Gs” as backups: William Gholston, Greg Gaines and Mike Greene. But he shied away from giving the group one more point because of Gholston and Greene lacking when it came to hitting quarterbacks.
Miami and Buffalo each totalled 17 points for a share of sixth plane in the ratings. (New Dolphins free agent Calais Campbell was not considered an edge rusher for this exercise. Dude had 10 tackles for loss and 17 QB hits last year playing a lot of edge. The Dolphins signed him for $2 million. Where was Tampa Bay?)
Kirwan’s top-5 interior defensive lines are as follows:
No. 5 Houston
No. 4 Raiders
No. 3 Green Bay
No. 2 Seattle
No. 1 Baltimore
Rankings aside, the Bucs have an impressive interior defensive line. The depth is solid And if Calijah Kancey takes the sophomore leap this season after an impressive rookie year, and Vita Vea stays on his game — and on the field — those guys should completely wreck a game or two.
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July 4th, 2024 at 9:30 pm
Logan Hall should be given a chance, if he hasn’t improved, the Bucs need to start Gaines, Greene, or find somebody that is competent.
July 5th, 2024 at 12:44 am
Logan the Oaf already had his chance. Let’s see what the others can do.
Keep The Oaf away from the starting OL. Let him be the live blocking dummy.
July 5th, 2024 at 2:38 am
Campbell can’t play special teams.
Our young guys can.
July 5th, 2024 at 3:10 am
Campbell > Hall / Gholston / whoever we got … even at age 38 or whatever he is. Falcons will miss him and ultimately that’s the only gain we needed.
July 5th, 2024 at 4:13 am
Kirwan is correct as usual. He does not mention that aside from those two, the depth he speaks of is…subpar. Hall? Gaines? My man Gholston? I think we could really use another guy to come in and disrupt in the middle. If Hall can finally be that guy fantastic. Kirwan will then move us into his top five me thinks.
Go Bucs!
July 5th, 2024 at 8:11 am
Well they don’t have a top-5 DL idc what any media or anyone says. They just aren’t that good. They have to replace William Gholston and Logan hall isn’t the guy. He’s a stop gap filler. That’s iit and nothing further.
July 5th, 2024 at 6:05 pm
They need Hall to blossom AND one more guy. Ogbah would be a good addition until next year’s first rounder comes in.
July 7th, 2024 at 12:02 am
Who’s Logan Hall?