Hunting For An Edge Rush
March 6th, 2024
Houston free agent edge rusher Jonathan Greenard.
So should Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht go edge rusher shopping when legal tampering begins Monday morning?
He has to at least explore it.
It is difficult for Joe to believe the Bucs will enter the 2024 season banking on YaYa Diaby to be that-guy providing heat off the edge. Joe loves Diaby and the Bucs have high hopes for him, that’s the issue: “Hope.”
Hope is not a strategy. Or at least, it shouldn’t be. And unfortunately, way too often since the Bucs let Michael Bennett walk out the door for no good reason, “hope” has very much been a team strategy when it comes to a pass rusher.
And Joe suffered on too many football Sundays as a result.
Besides, the best friend for an edge rusher is another edge rusher coming from the opposite side.
This brings Joe to Houston edge rusher Jonathan Greenard. BSPN NFL X’s and O’s analyst Matt Bowen has Greenard as his No. 12 most valuable free agent.
12. Jonathan Greenard, EDGE
2023 team: Houston Texans | Age in 2024 season: 27Greenard’s career-high 12.5 sacks tied for 10th in the league, and his 22% pass rush win rate ranked sixth. With his explosive lower body and hip flexibility, Greenard can launch off the ball. And he has developed his hand usage to create more countermoves. Greenard is also an instinctual player against the run, logging 52 tackles in 2023.
It seems this Greenard finally got the hang of how to rush the passer last year. Imagine learning football from a solid coach like DeMeco Ryans and not learning how to rush the passer from lousy Lovie Smith.
Would it be expensive to sign Greenard? Very likely. But if the guy can get after the quarterback, whatever he is paid is a bargain.
Yes, Joe realizes signing Greenard represents “hope” that he wasn’t just a one-year wonder. Greenard had just 10.5 sacks combined in his first three seasons.
#Texans sophomore and former #Gators DE Jonathan Greenard has been playing the best ball of his career as a starter, tallying 13 tackles, 4 sacks, 6 TFLs, 5 QB hits and 8 pressures in 4 games.
I broke down each of his sacks and some key run stops here: https://t.co/mfQFxKEr9M pic.twitter.com/3809KL2OxO
— Jordan Pun (@Texans_Thoughts) October 20, 2021
March 6th, 2024 at 9:07 am
Would be a good sign, Go Bucs
March 6th, 2024 at 9:14 am
With no edge rush the Bucs will fail again.
March 6th, 2024 at 9:15 am
1st Baker
2nd Josh Jacobs or Austin Ekeler
Anything left Defense
March 6th, 2024 at 9:20 am
Pass Rush. Pass Rush. Pass Rush.
March 6th, 2024 at 9:22 am
Go put grannies phone back and go mow the lawn little troll boy
March 6th, 2024 at 9:28 am
Do we have the money for this???
I would go edge on the first pick this draft, This year are loaded of good once
March 6th, 2024 at 9:32 am
Re-Sign:
• Lavonte David
Potential Free Agent:
• Kyzir White
Potential Draft Picks
• Mohamed Kamara
• Jacoby Windmon
• Jaylen Harrell
• Gabriel Murphy
• Austin Booker
Potential Depth Chart
• RUSH Linebacker: YaYa Diaby | Joe Tryon-Shoyinka | *Jacoby Windmon
• MIKE: Kyzir White | K.J. Britt
• WILL: Lavonte David | SirVocea Dennis
• SAM: Marks Watts | *Mohamed Kamara
Honorable Mention(s): Solomon Byrd, Brennan Jackson, Cedric Johnson
March 6th, 2024 at 9:33 am
looks liie the defender fell. We need a pass rush for sure…and then some. I would even trade CD for a decent edge rusher
guess we will never see another DL that stacks up to the Sapp and Rice days. Man those guys were fun to watch!
March 6th, 2024 at 9:38 am
Me personally? I think OL,DL,EDGE,QB are the most important positions you spend a premium on. Great CB’s are great to have but if you have no pass rush you are dead anyways. There arent a lot of draftable options that stick out so we may have to go the FA route. Greenard is also very young at 26 still so this could be a great addition.
March 6th, 2024 at 9:40 am
Our #1 priority in the draft is a CB. The near complete lack of interceptions by our starters ought to tell you that.
March 6th, 2024 at 9:44 am
Rhetorical headline… simple answer is yes. We need to address edge in free agency if we’re going to move the needle.
For all those that say we pick an edge at 26… first off, it depends who falls that far that should have been picked higher. It’s possible…but the reality is we select best available, drafting for need will bring us another JTS.
March 6th, 2024 at 9:46 am
The Bucs should also be looking at adding a free agent safety – there are a ton of decent safeties available this off-season.
As far as adding a pass rusher – I would be looking to spend our 1st round pick on an OLB/DE.
I believe the cost of adding a decent pass rusher in free agency will be too high after signing Evans, Baker, Winfield and giving Wirfs a new deal.
March 6th, 2024 at 9:48 am
Greenard would be a good fit he’s young and wouldn’t be too much to afford, still take another one in the draft because you can’t have enough pass rushers
March 6th, 2024 at 9:54 am
Yes chase edge rushers in free agency and draft one. It is very very simple to me, you can NEVER have too many edge rushers. EVER!
March 6th, 2024 at 10:01 am
And drafting best player available gets you O.J. Howard. Not drafting for need is irresponsible and a good way to get canned.
March 6th, 2024 at 10:01 am
Verse and Latu will almost certainly be gone by the time the Bucs pick.
Robinson out of Penn State has a very good chance at being the Bucs first round pick.
Booker out of Kansas might end up being a real bargain in the second round.
March 6th, 2024 at 10:03 am
He needs to grab Kamren curl dudes a stud who played for the commanders he is only one bright spot on thier defense I would scoop him up quick plus dudes young think Jordan whitehead 2.0
March 6th, 2024 at 10:08 am
An experienced pass rusher is one of the most expensive FAs out there, right behind a QB and Left tackle.
Be weve sucked at drafting Defensive linemen.
But smart move is to try again and hope we find a pass rusher in the first round.
experienced Centers and Guards are cheaper, but in demand.
What you can find cheap is good WRs, Lbers, safeties.
Cornerback not so much. But I dont think CB is as big of a need as some.
Zion and Inzien looked good last year. Should look better this year.
I think Davis and Dean both believed the press. Thought last year was a throw away, and were just trying to gt thru it uninjured.
Davis looked great the last half of the year, once he ‘bought in’.
Dean always seems to miss to much for me.
Either way, an Improved Pass rush would do wonders for both
Me?
Id draft pass rusher, Center, Guard. Pass rusher,
Id sign a safety, Wr, Lb, guard. Cb
Id cut Gage, Devon White.
Id try to trade Dean for a 3-4 round pick, and draft another Cb.
Seems like a good start.
Id also move Hainsey back to Guard, and try to resign Jordan Whitehead
Whew, that made me tired. Good luck Mr. Licht!
March 6th, 2024 at 10:11 am
And Id see about signing Eric Kendricks, just released from the Chargers.
He’d make us glad we lost Devon White.
March 6th, 2024 at 10:13 am
You can never have too many pass rushers. And without a top 5 QB, having a bunch of pass rushers is the only way to win a Super Bowl. So yes, the Bucs should sign a proven one if there is one available to sign.
March 6th, 2024 at 10:23 am
So he didn’t do anything until his contract year? Teams have to be very weary of players who seem to only perform when it’s about money. Plus the Texans aren’t interested?
March 6th, 2024 at 10:24 am
Why would he leave Houston??
March 6th, 2024 at 10:27 am
FA Free wish list
Edge Andrew Van Ginkle, Guard Damien Lewis, Strong Safety Jordan Whitehead, RB D’onta Foreman, and TE Jonnu Smith
March 6th, 2024 at 10:30 am
Don’t worry, there’ll still be loads of solid pass rushers available even after the first two rounds. Our scouting department just needs to do their job, like they did last year, leaving no stone unturned
March 6th, 2024 at 10:33 am
Bucs have no $ to sign an expensive edge rusher in free agency…
Hell – we’re still paying $26M for Shaq Barrett over the next 2 years….
Bucs have no choice but to keep playing money shell games this year just to get all our own top priority FAs signed….
Licht is going to have to find us another good Edge prospect in the draft this year – which usually means 1st or 2nd rd.
The only way to get out of salary cap hell once you are established there (like the Bucs currently are) is by consistently drafting well.
Thankfully we have one of the best GMs in the NFL in that respect.
Git-R-Done Jason Licht
March 6th, 2024 at 10:34 am
Still think we should trade Carlton Davis now…
His salary savings should allow us to snag F/A defensive end/OLB…
I like the Greenard idea, or try to trade for Brian Burns….
March 6th, 2024 at 10:39 am
Repost
LUVMYBUCS Says:
February 25th, 2024, at 4:35 am
The combination of these 3 free agents will help us out bigtime.
• RB: D’Andre Swift
• S: Jordan Whitehead
• MLB: Kyzir White
Fixing our anemic rushing attack will dramatically boost our win share.
Remember, you can’t have a tough football team without an admirable rushing attack.
Potential Draft Pick(s)
• Jackson Powers Johnson
• Trey Benson
Potential RB Depth Chart:
• D’Andre Swift
• Rashaad White
• Trey Benson
March 6th, 2024 at 10:40 am
@ Dom
That is a solid FA list.
March 6th, 2024 at 10:50 am
Dom,
Yup. Good list!
March 6th, 2024 at 11:02 am
Kinlaw may be another option. Should be able to sign him for about 5m a season.
March 6th, 2024 at 11:04 am
Stanglassman
He would be if he wasn’t injured all the time
March 6th, 2024 at 11:06 am
I love the way the Bucs draft talent to develop and build their roster. If the Bucs had to dip into free agency for one big impact signing, I think I would choose edge rusher over interior Oline. The Bucs need an impact at this position next year and there are a handful of players they should consider: Greenard, Hunter, Huff, Young, etc. Then draft interior Oline and multiple inside LBs.
March 6th, 2024 at 11:13 am
Free Agents Options: Guard
• David Edwards
• Jonah Jackson
March 6th, 2024 at 11:15 am
Greenard, David, Jamal Adams to pair with Winfield and Russell Wilson for 2 mil a year. Any quarterback will do if you have a stout defense set it to Bowles on strength defense. Wilson throw 75% of his passes toward Evans and he will be alright.
March 6th, 2024 at 11:16 am
Draft one. Not sold on Latu, he’s a health risk. Verse or Chop Robinson should be available R1
March 6th, 2024 at 11:23 am
Pass rush is all well and good but without it last year, how did our defense rank? Compare that to our offensive rank. OL, first and foremost
March 6th, 2024 at 11:28 am
Haason Reddick is available via trade and has 4 consecutive seasons of double digit sack numbers and high pressure numbers as well. Consistency is a beautiful thing. Bucs Defense needs this man!!! Come on Jason Licht, Todd, Bruce, Go Get Haason Reddick!!! Get him!!! Lets bring the heat!!!
March 6th, 2024 at 11:28 am
A good pass rush can source from up the middle. Bucs don’t necessarily have to limit their draft options to an end rusher. There may be some quality speed rush DT’s like Kancey who can play different positions on the line who’d be available in this draft.
March 6th, 2024 at 12:01 pm
Seems like the Bucs are in prime position to draft a good interior OL. Day one starter. The best pass rushers may be gone.
A veteran edge guy on the cheap might be good. If they want to pay more, I would try Chase Young. Keep him healthy and he’ll be decent, at least. Maybe Bosa-like.
March 6th, 2024 at 12:29 pm
Don’t think of anyone being able to mock Licht. Just doesn’t happen for everyone keeps saying Chop Robinson. Be a great vet edge backing up young Kancy and Diaby. I’m down because there are definitely other position needs in the draft moving into future.
March 6th, 2024 at 12:30 pm
Fans can dream all day long about signing Jonathan Greenard or Haason Reddick or Jamal Adams, but that’s all it is … dreaming. Each of them has a Market Value north of $20 mil, and the Bucs can’t afford to play in that rarified air right now. We NEED to get our own priority UFAs re-signed first, then see how much salary CAP we have to play with after we restructure some contracts.
Bucs obviously NEED another starter-quality DE/OLB to pair with YaYa, but we’re still cash-strapped. I’m confident that we’ll sign a FA, but it probably won’t be the impact player we’re all hoping for. Also confident though that we’ll draft a DE/OLB in the Top-3 Rounds. Hopefully he pans out.
March 6th, 2024 at 12:51 pm
A Blue Chip OL or DL should be priority 1
March 6th, 2024 at 1:30 pm
Blocking and Rushing always takes top priority. The other positions can’t function well without them.
March 6th, 2024 at 3:58 pm
We’re not spending money on a free agent pass rusher. That’s a fantasy.
March 7th, 2024 at 1:35 am
If we pick O line and TE first 3 rounds with almost everyone coming back on defense I think any decent QB will flourish.