Jason Licht On Edge Rushers
February 25th, 2025
Bucs GM Jason Licht at the combine Tuesday.
Look, everyone who follows the Bucs just a little bit knows the Bucs need more — much more — production from an edge rusher than what they received the past couple of seasons.
It’s hard to make a Super Bowl run with limited production from the edge. That’s all there is to it.
So Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht said today at the combine at the Indiana Convention Center that he puts a lot of stock in an edge rusher’s production in college. However, he said, this is not always an apples-to-apples comparison.
“You find that guys that are very productive in the NFL also had, most of the time, had productive college careers, too,” Licht said. “But not all super-productive college edge rushers become productive as a pro.
“But it is a trait that usually transcends, for the good ones, in the NFL.”
So is Licht going to get an edge rusher in April’s draft? He didn’t tip his hand, of course. But he did say in a sidebar that he expects Chris Braswell to step up this fall in his second season.
February 25th, 2025 at 12:14 pm
This man can’t draft edge rusher he’s SUCKED every time especially top draft edge rushers. He needs to get a proven vet in the room!
February 25th, 2025 at 12:19 pm
same goes for running backs but look at how that turned out.
February 25th, 2025 at 12:22 pm
Just read the Commanders are allowing DT Jonathan Allen to seek a trade. He’s a 2 time Pro Bowler…I don’t know anything else about him. I’m sure JL already knows of this.
February 25th, 2025 at 12:25 pm
I hope they thoroughly examine their thought process when they drafted JTS, then do the opposite. What a waste.
February 25th, 2025 at 12:36 pm
I’m not expecting much out of Bustwell this season or any other. Keep looking Jason, keep looking.
February 25th, 2025 at 12:56 pm
I expect YAYA and Braswell to step up this year but I also expect them to go after more help in FA. I think they draft ILB and CB
February 25th, 2025 at 12:59 pm
I like Braswells Bend an Speed I think he will come on this year he needed time to bulk up He could rush the passer last year but Bowles couldn’t trust him to set the edge as well Bowles wants his OLBs to Set the edge then rush the passer when I wish he would let them just rush passer more
February 25th, 2025 at 1:20 pm
JTS is a total bust, Braswell I thought showed absolutely nothing and YaYa only shows flashes.
Hopefully Licht uses some different logic this draft.
Bucs need to sign or trade for an experienced and established veteran edge rusher and stop gambling away high draft choices on the kids.
February 25th, 2025 at 1:28 pm
BUCS EDGE OVER THE YEARS
Free Agents – Rice, JPP, Shaq
Draft – JTS, Yaya, Braz, Adrian Clayborn, D’Quan Bowers, Gaines Adams
It’s not just Licht. The Bucs are cursed! Free Agency is the way to go.
(That said, Mike Green’s tape is ridiculous. It’ll be interesting how he grades after the combine. He won’t be there at 19.)
February 25th, 2025 at 1:33 pm
Good stuff. Sounds like a number 19 draft edge rusher is in the cards. Now we must ask, which one will be there.
February 25th, 2025 at 1:35 pm
at #19, I am not optimistic about an ER….
Probably free agency
February 25th, 2025 at 1:50 pm
zzbucs – You never know, we could get lucky depending on what the majority of the teams ahead of us are looking for.
February 25th, 2025 at 2:04 pm
Many, many ways to win in the NFL.
I chuckle when Joe acts like to win the Super Bowl you need a superior edge rusher.
How many teams that won the Super Bowl recently had an edge rusher with 10 sacks during that season?
Exactly. “That’s all there is to it.”
That being said, it appears the stronger side of the ball this year is the defensive side. Go defense in those early picks.
February 25th, 2025 at 2:30 pm
Ya Ya is stiff as concrete poll,,,, very limited
Passes the eye test but way way stiff everywhere
February 25th, 2025 at 3:05 pm
This is wonderful to hear. I hope this seemingly obvious metric by which to evaluate a pick dictates Licht and company’s next bet(s) on bringing the Bucs an edge rush. They have failed and failed in their prior attempts but that was the case with running backs as well until last year.
Donovan Ezeiruaku led FBS sackers with 1.38 per game. He is my prime target in this draft due to his elite production, length, burst off the snap and pass rush repertoire. Antuan Powell-Ryland was next with 1.33 sacks per game. Mike Green was third on the list with 1.31 per game. Both Powell-Ryland and Green have very short arms and I expect will not be anywhere near as productive in the NFL as they were in college. I would not use an early round pick on either of them. Kyle Kennard was sixth with .96 sacks per game. He isn’t as long and refined as Ezeiruaku but is lightning quick off the snap and with his hands. He is my third choice for the Bucs and not before the third round- he has just below average length. Princely Umanmielen was ninth with .88 sacks per game and is my number two target for the Bucs. Like Ezeiruaku and Kennard he has electric burst and good length but relies too much on his freakish athleticism and has to develop his hand usage to be a force in the NFL. He isn’t worth a second round pick to me. J.T. Tuimoloau was twelfth with .78 sacks per game. He is a low floor option but he reminds me too much of JTS and Adrian Clayborne in his stiffness and loafing along behind on too many plays. Dropping into coverage is not something I would ask of him. Josiah Stewart was thirteenth with .77 sacks per game but he is another guy who has a refined arsenal of moves but absolutely lacks the length and sand in his pants to be a force off the edge in the NFL. Johnny Walker was seventeenth with .73 sacks per game. He wasn’t invited to the combine which sucks for him but I hope it keeps him off the radar so the Bucs can snag him on day three. He has the production, burst, length and motor to be a late round steal. Mizzou box defenders have consistently outperformed their draft position for decades. Plus, Walker is a Tampa native. Another fifth round gem is Jalen McCloud who came in at number twenty four with .67 sacks per game. He is undersized but has a well-rounded, move him all over the formation game that includes the ability to stay with almost anybody when he drops into coverage. He is the kind of player Bowles can put to good use right away and may work out as a MLB as well. Bradyn Swinson came in at twenty seven with .63 sacks per game. He is slightly ahead of Ezeiruaku and Kennard on most big boards but I don’t like him for the Bucs because he is a goof in the run game at this point in his development.
Burst and arm length/wingspan cannot be taught and are requisite for success for everyone who has ever played in the NFL not named Reggie White. I would love to see the Bucs select for production, burst, length and advanced pass rush skills in this draft. Moves and how to process the game can be taught but so far Bowles and his staff have not demonstrated the ability to do these things. The draft a physical freak and teach him the art of pass rushing approach has never worked in Tampa Bay. Ever. I hope Licht goes for the Ol’ Dom double-up on pass rushers and lands Ezeiruaku in the second (even with a little trade-up) and Walker or McCloud in the fifth. JTS is not going to blossom. Ramirez and that other bozo with more preseason sacks than in-season snaps have had ample chances. Its time to say goodbye to all three and light a fire under Braswell’s a$$ with a proven free agent and/or a pair of potential flame throwers for Bowles to deploy from this draft.
February 25th, 2025 at 3:07 pm
Joe … ‘But he (Licht) did say in a sidebar that he expects Chris Braswell to step up this fall in his second season.’
Me too. Braswell was just a rookie last year, and learning how to play OLB to Bowles’ satisfaction takes time. I remember seeing him get his first sack against Bryce Young and forced him to fumble in the process. Thing of beauty. And his second sack against Spencer Rattler (shared with KJ Britt) seemed like it onky took a split second & resulted in a 9-yard loss. I expect that Chris will be a lot faster this second year.
February 25th, 2025 at 3:21 pm
Well, that philosophy makes sense, but some of Licht’s past selections do not really back up tat claim…
JTS – 9 sacks, 37 solo tackles (2 years)
Hall – 7.5 sacks, 50 solo tackles (4 years)
Braswell – 10.5 sacks, 31 solo tackles (3 years)
OTOH:
Calijah Kancey – 15.5 sacks, 53 solo tackles (3 years)
Diaby kind of in between with 10 sacks and 46 solo tackles in 2 years
February 25th, 2025 at 4:22 pm
Bowles says “YaYa needs to drop in coverage so he can measure up to Braswell. Bras is too good in coverage to rush the passer” 😉
This year, Larry Foote needs to teach these edge guys to rush the passer. Send them to the Sack Summit if Larry can’t teach ’em.
February 25th, 2025 at 4:46 pm
Where the Bucs have been picking the last several years really limits their ability to draft a dominant edge rusher. If they are rated as a true can’t miss edge rusher they are gone in the first 15 picks. After that it’s truly hit or miss.
February 25th, 2025 at 4:47 pm
When someone shows me the pass rushers that Bowles and staff have developed, I’ll gladly blame Licht for drafting bad defensive linemen.
If a GM is judged based on the development of the players they draft, then there’s no way in hell that I’m drafting another defensive lineman/rush LB to give to Bowles only to see them dropped into coverage on a passing down. I honestly don’t know if I’d waste another pick on a cover CB either, based on watching these guys playing 8 yards off the ball constantly.
February 25th, 2025 at 7:41 pm
The two times we saw Braswell actually rush the passer when he wasn’t dropping into the stands to sell beer, he looked decent at it.
February 25th, 2025 at 10:50 pm
I don’t actually agree a100% with College being a good predictor. Mainly because you get these physically freakish man among boys and they were King-Ding-A-Ling where they were so much bigger, and faster than others. But then they hit the NFL and instead of being the GUY, they are just 1 of a 100 other GUYS. I’ve seen way to many sure-fire going to set the League on fire and then they go from hero to zero because everybody in the NFL is the GUY. I would prefer to use my 1st round draft pick to get a proven player.