Old Man Khalil Mack Has Young-Man Metrics
March 5th, 2025
So unlike Joe and the legions of Bucs fans who feast on the Spring Break menu at their local Hooters each day, ESPN analysts have access to NFL NextGen Stats data.
That’s the raw info culled from sensors in players’ equipment on game days, not the stuff interpreted by college interns for pay-per-view stat sites.
That’s why Joe paid attention today to ESPN’s Dan Pizzuta on The Mina Kimes Show. He traffics in analytics and was there to talk free agency.
It didn’t take long for Joe to put down the Buffalo shrimp and weep in ecstasy at the prospect of the Bucs’ signing 34 year old free agent edge rusher Khalil Mack.
Pizzuta shared that NextGen data shows Mack is quicker off the ball than pending Eagles free agent edge rusher Josh Sweat and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka.
Pizzuta said he absolutely would choose Mack over Sweat if he was buying an edge rusher for 2025. “His get-off rate from NextGen Stats was still the best of this edge rush class in free agency,” Pizzuta said of Mack.
Mack also has an abnormally high percentage of QB hits that become sacks, per Pizzuta. In other words, he finishes.
Interestingly, Pizzuta noted Mack plays the run extremely well and is not “cheating on pass rush snaps,” meaning he’s disciplined and isn’t cranking out his best pass rush get-off on what appears like a run play.
Todd Bowles loves big strong guys like Mack (6-3, 270) who play the run.
Man, Joe can almost visualize Mack’s No. 52 in a Bucs-red jersey getting home on pass rush games with Calijah Kancey.
The free agency siren goes off in five short days. Five!
March 5th, 2025 at 1:49 pm
Yes, with the 1st Round Edge (the kid from BC?) learning from him, like Shaq learned from Von Miller.
March 5th, 2025 at 1:50 pm
2 year deal
March 5th, 2025 at 1:57 pm
Let’s go! Sign Mack.
Draft a rusher.
Trade for another rusher.
We need to put the QB on his ass from the edge position. Yaya needs help. Go Bucs! Excited for whatever the hell we end up doing so long as it is not status woe.
March 5th, 2025 at 2:04 pm
Landry > Mack
1st rd ILB Campbell
2nd rd Edge
3rd rd CB
Assuming we re-sign WR Godwin and RG Bredeson
March 5th, 2025 at 2:05 pm
I am definitely in for Mack and hope those rumors are true. I think it’s an easy sell to come to Tampa. From Florida, great DTs to play with, Bucs putting resources into the D, top 5 offense.
Hopefully the deal is done already and announced early next week.
March 5th, 2025 at 2:05 pm
But Matthew Judon can be had in the “bargain bin”. 🥴 I seriously hope they can come up with something decent, because goodness knows we desperately need a pass rush.
March 5th, 2025 at 2:27 pm
My Grandma is quicker off the ball than Joggin’ Joe Tryon, and she passed away in 1987.
March 5th, 2025 at 2:33 pm
Recognizing that Bowles has never developed an edge rusher JL should have made a move like this happen a long time ago. JBF has been shouting from the mountain tops to get an edge rusher. Hopefully JL can pull this off or at least something similar. Let’s see how things go. Long overdue.
March 5th, 2025 at 2:39 pm
Trade for Landry, add Mack, and go win a damn Super Bowl. Jason, it’s easy!
March 5th, 2025 at 3:02 pm
Go get Kayvon Thibodeaux. His compatible coming out of college was Mack and is 24. Buy low. Great upside. Broken wrist last year. 11.5 sacks the year before. Giants have no clue what they are doing. We can take advantage of that
March 5th, 2025 at 3:02 pm
The next JPP/Suh. He could add some fire and brimstone to this Defense.
March 5th, 2025 at 3:10 pm
Jmarkbuc Says:
March 5th, 2025 at 2:27 pm
“My Grandma is quicker off the ball than Joggin’ Joe Tryon”
Joggin’ Joe – good one Jmark!
March 5th, 2025 at 3:20 pm
Bucs Guy thoughts… IMO
Landry > Mack —-> happy with either
1st rd ILB Campbell —-> would be amazing
2nd rd Edge —-> Will be smart
3rd rd CB —-> Getting into best available territory but I would be cool with this If the right guy is available
Assuming we re-sign WR Godwin and RG Bredeson —-> If we signed both and did all of the above, would be a dream off season. Not Tom Brady/Gronk/Lenny/Brown level but pretty solid
March 5th, 2025 at 4:43 pm
Come on Bucs. You can do much better than Mack. I’d rather you go after a rook with the 19th pick rather than this aging guy. He has given the league what he has. He is almost out of gas,
March 5th, 2025 at 6:10 pm
I like the idea of Mack because
A: no draft pick
B: no long term commitment (obviously)
C: At 34, he’s STILL way better than anyone on the Bucs
March 5th, 2025 at 6:56 pm
I do not have a preference regarding acquiring an experienced edge rusher, yet. I do think all the signs coming out of One Bucs Place indicate we will address the position, finally, this off season. Big Time! This will make many fans happy. (Yes, and at least one of the Joes too. 😁 )
Go Bucs!!
March 5th, 2025 at 7:13 pm
Trade for Landry. Shouldnt cost a ton. Then you can add a WR, CB or LB in the first. Also dont need to worry abiut a sudden drop off at age 27 for Landry vs a 34 year old Mack who despite everyone saying he still has juice, has definitely declined already as evidence by his 6 sacks last year which has to be a career low.
March 5th, 2025 at 7:16 pm
Yes Please!
This would be a huge signing.
Add Wagner to go with David, keep Deion Jones and Dennis.
Maybe Push the ILB draft pick until next year.
We will also rely on Dean one more year. He’s playing for his NFL career.
And We have too many needs to draft OLB (again).
1. OG (need a starter: a mauler)
2. DE (Gholston type)
3. NT (Vea needs a clone and sub)
4. CB (need a legit #3 and #4 outside CB)
5. ILB (Deion Jones looked good. Dennis looks okay. Just sign David)
6. Safety: no need
7. Running Back: no need to
8. Tight End: no need
9. Kancey backup? Maybe
10. OLB: rookies are too weak.
11. Offensive tackle: In a dream world, we would be deep enough to be able to draft an elite swing tackle in the 3rd. Backup tackles can cost you a Super Bowl!
March 5th, 2025 at 7:19 pm
$23.5 million vs $27.5 million and a second round draft pick for Sweat – I would take Mack.
March 5th, 2025 at 7:24 pm
Next years ILB’s do not look great so far. The only one who might bring what Campbell does is Deonte Lawson from Alabama, and I think that he is a step down.
The draft proves everyone wrong sooner or later. But, I think that Campbell is the kind of guy that can give the defense a real boost.
I have not been wild about the Bucs spending big of free agents. But, Mack may be worth it.
March 5th, 2025 at 9:09 pm
I heard something about Khalil Mack being not-so-good in the locker room. Is there anything to this? What is the scoop?
March 5th, 2025 at 10:07 pm
No, no, no. Please stop Joe. Please. Here’s an inarguable stat and an infallible player projection: this player is 34 and will soon turn 35. I am as desperate as you are for a pass rush but let’s not be party to yet another middling team that reaches for a “name” on defense and only serves to provide an agent with a nice commission on his aging clients final big paycheck opportunity. This guy downshifts the minute the ink is signed and starts scouting beachfront property.
March 5th, 2025 at 11:19 pm
Man would love this guy. For the right price. Trade for another and get the best defensive players available in the draft and our defense will be as lethal as our offense.
March 6th, 2025 at 12:10 pm
I been preaching Mack for weeks-good to see some waking up.