Down Year For Edge Rushers
January 4th, 2025
Crazy like a fox?
So the NFL had 22 double-digit pass rushers last season.
That number has been cut in half this season with one game remainng.
It’s been a hell of a dropoff.
Trey Hendrickson (Bengals) and Myles Garrett (Browns) co-lead the NFL with 14 sacks. Don’t expect to see either in the postseason.
Commanders cheap free agent pickup Dante Fowler, Jr. has been the surprise edge rusher of the season with 10 1/2 sacks. Damn good for $3.2 million.
Joe brings this us as perspective for the sad pass rushing season being had by Bucs edge rushers. Anthony Nelson leads the unit with four sacks.
Joe nearly had a tanrum because the Bucs didn’t chase a quality edge rusher in free agency this offseason. Super Bowls are always won by teams with a strong edge rusher, Joe assessed, so Joe was not cool with the Bucs not prioritizing the position.
Now one could say the Vikings are kicking ass this season because they added edge rusher Jonathan Greenard in free agency (11 sacks), but that’s silly because he simply replaced double-digit sack man Danielle Hunter (12 sacks), who bolted in free agency for Houston.
A lot of the big-name edge rushers available on the offseason were a whole lot of meh or worse.
Was Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht crazy like a fox to roll with his group?
Well, Joe can’t go that far. But this may be the year a team wins a Super Bowl without a dominant edge rusher.
And man, if Bucs sacks king Shaq Barrett actually shows up as a dangerous playoff performer, Licht is going to look like more of a rock star than he is.
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January 4th, 2025 at 5:24 pm
So, Rockstar GM Jason Licht now?
January 4th, 2025 at 5:32 pm
Team would be better off if Jason was collecting pass rushers instead of receipts
January 4th, 2025 at 5:33 pm
Vaunted Haasan Reddeck NOW? 1/2 of ONE sack
January 4th, 2025 at 5:46 pm
Statistically……😂
January 4th, 2025 at 5:49 pm
In Licht We Trust!
January 4th, 2025 at 6:02 pm
So Joe. Is Shaq back because of underperformance by the linebackers coach also?
Will we see an upgrade in the offseason, if Bowles is back?
Just wondering. I’m hoping Shaq does decent tomorrow.
January 4th, 2025 at 6:02 pm
Mort, the way he got Brady and navigated Cap Hell after was effing metal AF! He is Absolutely a Rock Star.
January 4th, 2025 at 6:36 pm
Maybe forget the edge rushers. Who came up with it anyway. Just put 4 brutes on the line….edge rushers….PHOOEY.
January 4th, 2025 at 6:55 pm
Strong front 4 with dominant EDGE hides a lot of problems in back end of defense. Bucs have a lot to hide. Lack of speed and lack of hitting in back end isn’t going to get fixed without major personnel overhaul.
January 4th, 2025 at 7:00 pm
Just back from the pub (it’s midnight here) Watching the end of the Ravens game. Let’s go Bucs – massive game tomorrow. Feed Evans and get Bucky going early and punch our ticket to the playoffs!!!
January 4th, 2025 at 7:37 pm
Fingers crossed Shaq comes in with fresh legs and just absolutely dominates
January 4th, 2025 at 7:46 pm
It’s a team sport. The bucs as a team are tied for 7th most sacks in the NFL.
January 4th, 2025 at 7:56 pm
The Browns have a league leading edge rusher and have won three games. Joe, you need a new obsession.
January 4th, 2025 at 8:06 pm
It would be absolutely hilarious if Shaq had one helluva game and ended up with 5 sacks to lead the team for the season.
January 4th, 2025 at 8:35 pm
Our sack totals are decent the problem IMO is that they’re inconsistent. We go long gaps without getting any pressure on the QB (see: Nix, Cousins x2, Jackson, Purdy, Rush) and then get absolutely shredded apart.
As someone else said, a consistent pass rush hides a lot of warts in the backend. We need that. We need someone on the edge that has to be game planned for the way Vea does.
January 4th, 2025 at 8:46 pm
Signed Randy Gregory as a wildcard, things didn’t work out. Devoted the resources fixing the O- line and run game. It’s aggravating watching opposing QB’s pick apart the defense much like watching White run up the middle for a yard on first down.
January 4th, 2025 at 8:52 pm
I stay away from X’s & O’s and schemes because I don’t have the knowledge necessary to comment on those subjects. But, this defense needs a restocking. Dean isn’t up to the task and costs too much. Whitehead has seen his better days. David is soon out the door (maybe 1 more year). Vea is getting long in the tooth.
Maybe it is time to move back to a 4-3 defense. I think we might need the Bucs version of “The Steel Curtain”. Kancey could take a few less snaps and maybe lengthen his career. If Jason could draft a D line and add a few pieces maybe we could shake up the opposition. Bowles 3-4 isn’t cutting it any more. It’s all about EDGE these days and EDGE seems to have run it’s course. Get some big wooly mammoths with attitude.
It seems to me that the 3-4 is effective when all the parts are there and working properly but without lots of talented depth and superior coaching it is too vulnerable. The game is constantly evolving and it might be time for the Bucs defense to evolve as well. A new defense for the division rivals to figure out and an offense that is beginning to peak could bode well.
January 4th, 2025 at 9:02 pm
Citrus County..
Not a lot to argue with there. The 34 defense will never work if we have players like Joe Tryon
January 4th, 2025 at 9:13 pm
We know how to keep Mahomes in check minus JPP and Shaq. When we step on that field there has to be no BS. If they play all four quarters like they show up and play their hearts out. IT’S ON BROTHER!!!! Defensive game plan needs to Ditto to the last Superbowl
January 4th, 2025 at 9:42 pm
Don’t go wasting money on an edge rushers for this defense it will make zero difference. Receivers are open immediately and so would a short passing game with scheme that allows corners to play 10 yards off receivers
January 4th, 2025 at 9:48 pm
How many times have we heard “The game is played in the trenches” or “It all starts up front” ? If we only have 3 down linemen on defense and two of those are undersized that seems to be a disadvantage. If you have 2 Edge linebackers that can get around big O linemen and put pressure on or sack the QB to compensate then the 3-4 scheme can work. Wirfs and Goedeke are wooly mammoths that can stop Edge rushers. Edge rushing talent seems to be scarce. The 3-4 defense of Bowles seems too intricate and dependent on the versatility of players. If one player in the secondary gets injured and his backup lacks the same talent then the entire secondary needs to adjust. Kancey is a real talent but he needs scheme to be effective. Let’s get back to a Kenworth D line and Mack trucks for linebackers.
January 4th, 2025 at 9:57 pm
^ Which is why them saying they don’t prioritize edge rush is all that much more perplexing. It’s the only way this defense works. That’s why it was so dominant with Shaq and JPP
January 4th, 2025 at 9:58 pm
They don’t prioritize edge rush because they can’t develop edge rush.
January 4th, 2025 at 10:13 pm
Todd Bowles didn’t develop JPP or Shaq. JTS, YaYa, Braswell weren’t developed properly. They were constantly having to change from rushing the passer to dropping into coverage to compensate for injuries in the secondary. It made it too complex and redirected their focus in my opinion. Their jobs were to pass rush not pass defend. When someone is referring to a great edge rusher, how often are they noted for their pass defense skills ?
January 4th, 2025 at 10:15 pm
Don’t worry I won’t bring up the LB coach name.
January 5th, 2025 at 12:42 am
Myles Garrett
Jason Licht
Myles Garrett
Jason Licht
January 5th, 2025 at 1:18 am
Jason light doesn’t value pass rushers there isn’t any on this team
January 5th, 2025 at 1:20 am
JT is Punk Rock
January 5th, 2025 at 1:21 am
JL
(Auto correct fml)
January 5th, 2025 at 2:47 am
Bucs thought their pass rush was set and actually focused on the secondary. It’s Todd Bowles not the secondary and not the pass rushers. Don’t do it licht don’t take the bait, go bargain shopping again
January 5th, 2025 at 8:06 am
With OL getting bigger and stronger every year, especially T, I am not surprised at edge drop-off.
I would be curious about run/pass league trends the last few years. I find team stats, but not league stats and I am too lazy to compile them.
More runs = fewer sack opportunities.
There could be more at play than just player skill.
January 5th, 2025 at 9:04 am
Well, with all the injuries, we fans don’t know about the Defense. Licht will do his job and focus on that part of the team in the off-season via the Draft, etc. Let’s finish the season first. Nothing wrong with a 10-7 record with all the bad luck Bucs have had. I think they will do it. I stay away from technical comments cos I know zilch about Xs and Os. Go Bucs!!
January 5th, 2025 at 10:18 am
What’s important is getting sacks. Who gets them… not so much.
January 5th, 2025 at 11:28 am
Bowles staff can’t develop edge rushers. Licht has drafted numerous defensive linemen. He drafted Kancey for his speed and oass rush ability and all Bowles knows how to do is blitz right next to him and steal the room he needs to rush the QB.