Not Impressed With Bucs Edge Rushers… Yet
September 2nd, 2024
NFL analyst not feeling Bucs’ edge rush.
What has Joe typed over and over for just about a year now, maybe more when it comes to the Bucs’ edge rush?
It sure seems the team is banking a lot (again) on hope. And hope is an evil, four-letter word.
And this same analysis on the Bucs’ edge rush is shared by Bryan Knowles, typing about the Bucs for “Aaron Schatz’s FTN Football Almanac 2024.” In short, Knowles would like to see more substance from Bucs edge rushers.
Joe Tryon-Shoyinka was supposed to be the next great Buccaneers pass rusher when he was a first-round pick in 2021. He averaged less than one pressure per game last season and was eventually replaced in the starting lineup by YaYa Diaby. Diaby was solid enough for a rookie and has room to grow, but a 10 percent pressure rate doesn’t scream “focal point of a pass rush” just yet. And Shaq Barrett, last year’s pressure leader, is gone as a cap casualty. That leaves a spot open, so Tryon-Shoyinka will have to hold off second-round pick Chris Braswell to regain his job; far from a guarantee. Braswell had a disappointing SackSEER projection, combining a very poor combine performance with almost no production at Alabama until his final season. Some of that is mitigated by being stuck behind Will Anderson in college, but a college senior without outstanding workouts or production is not someone you want to rest too many of your hopes and dreams on. In 2023, the Buccaneers got pressure 27 percent of the time, which ranked 27th in the league, so they needed to get significantly better here. Braswell and Diaby have potential, but it looks like Tampa Bay merely treaded water here, if even that. They’re going to need to either get unusually creative or have significant steps forward from multiple players if they want to generate consistent pressure this season.
Joe gets the idea about pressure. But pressure doesn’t bother good quarterbacks; laying their arses out on the field does. So Joe will take sacks from YaYa Diaby over pressures any day all day.
And yeah, Joe gets what Knowles is suggesting about Chris Braswell. He sure didn’t rush the passer much this summer and Bucs types said he needed more work elsewhere. So in a roundabout way, the Bucs admitted Braswell didn’t need much work on pass rushing. We will see.
Joe would feel so much differently if the Bucs had a proven history of drafting and developing young edge rushers. When is the last time the Bucs drafted and developed a stud edge rusher? Lee Roy Selmon?
(Unfortunately, Joe is not being sarcastic about Selmon at all.)
September 2nd, 2024 at 1:03 am
Amen
September 2nd, 2024 at 1:06 am
Joe … ‘Bucs types said he (Braswell) needed more work elsewhere. So in a roundabout way, the Bucs all but admitted Braswell didn’t need to work on pass rushing. We will see.’
Bowles is very demanding when it comes to DE/OLBs sealing the edges & playing the run. To him, playing the run is Job-1. And that seems to be where they had Chris focusing in preseason. Todd generates ‘pressure’ from everywhere, especially via the blitz. Once both Diaby & Braswell get up-to-speed, we’ll be fine.
September 2nd, 2024 at 1:35 am
Joe needs to do some yoga or something. He doesn’t have that bend
September 2nd, 2024 at 2:37 am
Someone needs to define “pressure” for me.
I see that as a highly subjective word. Stat nerds want despirately to put a number on things that can not be quantified at all. Saw a Lot of this BS in my former job prior to retirement.
When a QB spies a DE coming from the back side out of the corner of his eye that is still over five yards away and hurries his throw or checks down to the back for instance. Our lackluster CBs and Bowles did our OLBs no favors either. Shaq did more than most think last year. Not just “pressures”. Hope that Jason can get him back BTW. JTS has done zilch and should only be mentioned as an afterthought.
Go Bucs!
September 2nd, 2024 at 4:41 am
I am hoping that this will be JTS year. And it really has to be. Hoping for the best. Since we really didn’t replace Gregory’s position, maybe the Bucs are looking around for an edge. ***crossing fingers***
September 2nd, 2024 at 5:48 am
When we had Brady, and were scoring 31 points a game, our pass rush with JPP, and Shaq was great. Since our offense hasn’t produced as much, never scored on an opening drive last season, our pass rush has suffered. Get out to early big leads like we did in 2020, and watch our edge rushers come alive. Make the other team have to catch up rather then playing with a lead, and you’ll see our edge rushers, pass rush in general get better. It’s never just our edge rushers suck, it’s a team game that has many factors to it.
September 2nd, 2024 at 5:49 am
just looking at JTS’s pic above makes me wonder if he needs to hit the weight room more.
A good DE/OL also needs to have the upper body strength to play off and get around much bigger offensive tackles.
September 2nd, 2024 at 6:27 am
I agree Bob..I think lower body tho. Fire thing that popped into my head was more squats. Alot more. Not gona hurt
September 2nd, 2024 at 6:57 am
Hodad has a great point I hadn’t thought about. Seems like we don’t hear the “pin their ears back” phrase from commentators calling our games lately.
September 2nd, 2024 at 7:04 am
The Bucs get the credit for drafting Lee Roy Selmon. But developing? The great ones don’t need much developing. I’m hoping Braswell develops right quick this year and Ya Ya develops into a consistent double digit sack guy starting this week! Time to play! Go Bucs!
September 2nd, 2024 at 8:35 am
I’m wondering with Diaby’s development on the other side if it might be worth a look of bringing Shaq back. I wonder if Diaby is getting to the point of demanding double teams that could make Shaq look like an all pro again.
I don’t think our other edge rushers are going to be there this season. Just my impression.
September 2nd, 2024 at 9:23 am
When is the last time the Bucs drafted and developed a stud edge rusher?
He wasn’t an Edge Rusher, but Gerald McCoy put pressure on and sacked QB’s and Bucs drafted him
Stud Edge Rushers are just a rare breed in NFL and those teams that have them do well in the playoffs
September 2nd, 2024 at 9:25 am
Causing disruption in an opposing team’s backfield may not be as sexy as a sack, but it sure works. JTS is usually back there. He’s starting to get a few sacks, but that disruption helps the sackers do their thing. I have a feeling that’s why he’s still here. Bowles knows what he’s scheming in defense is his strength. Jordan Whitehead will be a big PLUS, too. Still can’t believe the idiotic Jets let him go.
September 2nd, 2024 at 9:53 am
JTS has needed to gain weight and muscle, strength since he was drafted.dude doesn’t work like he should he gives up on plays way to much and gets manhandled every game. He might be a nice guy and a good person but he doesn’t belong in the NFL. Make me eat my words JTS
September 2nd, 2024 at 10:23 am
In the course of making a pass rusher well-rounded, having the player rush the passer once in a while for “well-roundedness” might make sense, whether from a demanding coach or simply a genius who overthinks most things.
Spot-on take, Joes.
September 2nd, 2024 at 10:52 am
“Causing disruption in an opposing team’s backfield may not be as sexy as a sack, but it sure works. JTS is usually back there.”…OrlBuc
Another crazy comment. Usually back there is correct..being pushed back out of the play by the opposing OL. One pressure a game is way not enough for an edge rusher. The trick is to rush effectively and still be wary of the run. That is what a good edge rusher does. Don’t see anyone yet on this roster that matches this description.
I’m afraid that we are all drinking the pre-season kool-aid. Our offense should be fine with all the additions we have made, but I don’t think our defense will match it.
September 2nd, 2024 at 11:10 am
He can’t help that he is a human in a big athletic body, thing is, is that he just doesn’t have the “it factor “ that makes the difference sack artists have.
September 2nd, 2024 at 11:29 am
The late night weird edge rusher obsession is back. I couldn’t imagine going to bed every night and even thinking about the Bucs to begin with, much less their EDGE RUSH… Shew!!!! Now, that’s out there. I mean, once or twice over the past 6-months or so, I can give ya that… But, EVERY night!? WOW. That is some very dedicated stuff right there. Or, would that be labeled as an obsession!? Maybe, it’s just a habit (due to the ‘timing’ always being around the exact same times, between 11:00pm-1:00am)!? Interesting tho, since I’ve been told there are multiple Joes. I guess, one just dreams about the Bucs edge rush all night long. LoL
September 2nd, 2024 at 11:36 am
I’ve seen that word hope a few times in the comments here so it really seems like everyone’s hopes are riding on Bowles
Bucs literally have ONE pass rusher don’t give me hope or maybe this or that. Literally ONE guy we know can dominate this year.
September 2nd, 2024 at 1:17 pm
I don’t think Bowles adequately addressed our pass rush issues this off season. Tha just my opinion. And I do hope I am wrong. When you have to dial up the blitzes like we do, Good QB’s take full advantage of you. We should have gone all out to get a premium pass usher. We did not. So..let the games began.
September 2nd, 2024 at 2:03 pm
Bulls(p)it.
Look at how much Brady crumbled when he was facing constant pressure due to our sub par o-line in 2022.
Pressure bothers very good, very mobile quarterbacks a bit less, like Mahomes. It’s still incredibly important. And more pressure leads to more sacks, INTs, fumbles etc.
September 2nd, 2024 at 2:10 pm
Yes, “pressure” is bulls(p)it and Joe will argue night and day about that. So a guy got close. Big deal? Good quarterbacks are not affected by pressure. Yeah, Joe wrote that. Good quarterbacks throw (and complete passes) all the time with guys in their faces.
However, there isn’t a quarterback alive who can complete a pass lying on his ass after the whistle has blown.
“Pressure” is nothing more than an excuse for not getting the job done. Sort of like participation awards.
September 2nd, 2024 at 9:40 pm
Lee Roy doesn’t count. He was so gifted no one had to develop him.
I miss our early bucs, they may have lost 26 but nobody wanted to play them twice.