Azeez Ojulari And The Bucs
September 23rd, 2024
Giants OLB Azeez Ojulari.
You may have missed it, but the Bucs had zero sacks yesterday. Again.
As much as Bucs coach Todd Bowles dismisses sacks, NFL history suggests this team, which has high hopes, won’t do a damn thing in the playoffs without an edge rush.
No less an authority than Chucky said over the weekend that you cannot win a championship without a fourth-quarter pass rush.
The Bucs are so damn desperate, they’d take an any-quarter pass rush.
The Bucs are on pace for 11 sacks, which is simply outrageous if not irresponsible.
Late last week, ESPN insider Dan Graziano typed up a story about available edge rushers and teams that could be landing spots.
Graziano sees what everyone else sees with the Bucs but the Bucs refuse to acknowledge: That they need an edge rush worse than Joe needs a cold beer on a Florida July afternoon. They. Need. An. Edge. Rush. Period!
Graziano thinks a cheap option is four-year veteran Azeez Ojulari.
Ojulari was the Giants’ second-round pick in 2021 and had eight sacks in his rookie season. But the Giants have overhauled their pass rush and have built it around Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns (as well as Dexter Lawrence II on the interior). Ojulari is making just $1.58 million in the final year of his contract and could benefit from a larger role elsewhere ahead of free agency.
Potential landing spot: Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Bucs are a three-time defending division champion with eyes on the postseason again, and edge rush is a place they could use some more help. Tampa Bay is tied with the Panthers and Commanders for the fewest sacks in the NFL with two. Keep the Raiders, 49ers, Bears, Cardinals and Jets in mind for Ojulari, too.
Keep in mind this column was published by the four-letter late last week, before the Bucs got drilled by the Broncos yesterday, when the Bucs’ pass rush took the afternoon off.
This Ojulari puts up Joe Tryon-Shoyinka-type numbers. So Joe’s not saying Ojulari is a world-beater. Perhaps he could be the next Shaq Barrett, a part-time guy looking for a starting role somewhere.
Perhaps, Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht could play a little Billy Beane-style Moneyball. You know, two guys hitting 50 RBIs each add up to one guy hitting 100 RBI, only at a fraction of the cost. Add two guys who get five sacks a year on rookie contracts and you have a 10-sack guy at a pittance of the cost.
Yeah, Joe is desperate here. That’s because the Bucs are desperate here.
At times, it feels like Joe wants the Bucs to attack a problem with urgency and win more than the shot-callers getting paid mega Team Glazer loot do.
Azeez Ojulari sack off of the Kayvon assist! pic.twitter.com/COkzwtUYgD
— Bobby Skinner (@BobbySkinner_) September 22, 2024
September 23rd, 2024 at 9:06 am
I’ll take anything over what we’ve seen so far. Hard to believe that we’d miss Devin White blitzing up the middle. Shoot, even he could get 3 or 4 sacks on a bad year.
September 23rd, 2024 at 9:09 am
The Bucs needs are
RT
LG
RG
TE
DT
OLB
MLB
CB
September 23rd, 2024 at 9:11 am
We probably win the Superbowl in 2021 if we had drafted Ojulari instead of JTS. He hasn’t been a great player so far but in his rookie year he has 8 sacks and 13 QB hits.
September 23rd, 2024 at 9:12 am
With the way the d played yesterday. Do you honestly think they make the playoffs?
The sacks to sack prevention on this team is brutal.
September 23rd, 2024 at 9:15 am
Joe honestly knows the NFL is often a week-to-week league. Joe would like to think this team is more the team we saw in Detroit than the team we saw yesterday.
The Bucs are still in first place.
September 23rd, 2024 at 9:26 am
Yannick Ngakoue is out there just waiting for the phone to ring.
September 23rd, 2024 at 9:29 am
He’s got real medical concerns so I am not sure about this. I followed Olujari before he was drafted because I thought he was a quality EDGE rusher. He still is when healthy, but he has struggled mightily with injury issues for the past two seasons.
He had a calf injury and an ankle in 2022 that limited him to half a season but he still had 6 sacks in those 7-8 games. Last year he had hamstring issues that ruined his season and effectiveness.
He can be a good rotational pass rush player IF he stays healthy.
September 23rd, 2024 at 9:29 am
Bucs are in second place behind the Aints.
I like your suggestion here because it flies in the face of the Giants GM’s strategy to minimize Ojulari. Joe Schoen is a “Peter, meet Principle” guy. He’s inept. A poser.
So, if he thinks Ojulari isn’t a worthy starter, Licht should give him a Baker’s chance and bring him in to become everything Inept-Schoen thinks he’s not.
In Godwin We Trust…regardless.
September 23rd, 2024 at 9:35 am
Pass rush is fine, nothing to see here. Hahahaha
September 23rd, 2024 at 9:37 am
with what they’ve put out there so far, idc who we bring in, just get other bodies in here.
September 23rd, 2024 at 9:41 am
@Todd… Bucs in 1st place in NFC South. Bucs loss against AFC. Saints loss against NFC opponent, so Bucs 1st based upon better NFC record.
September 23rd, 2024 at 9:42 am
Chill Out Bucs fans!! We need a pass rusher and a RT/Guard and we will be fine!
In Jason Licht we trust!!
September 23rd, 2024 at 9:42 am
Hi,yes the bucs have no edge rush and the o line is really poor, 12 sacks in 2 games with 2 sacks by the defense. Unfortunately, this does not sound like a playoff team now, after all the early hype. Joe this is not a one game thing, 12 sacks, given by o line, 2 sacks generated by the defense, but a 3 game total. Unless something changes quickly the next 4 or 5 games may prove disasterous . Despite the 2-1 record,the aformentioned is not playoff football. However, is football that gets you high draft picks.
September 23rd, 2024 at 9:42 am
I would have traded for Reddicak already. There is nothing wrong with what we have Reddick is just better and can take the game over. Reddick can only enhance the value of Yaya it’ll be tough to gameplan for both let alone adding Vea & Kancey.
September 23rd, 2024 at 9:42 am
Three games no edge rush whatsoever. Anyone would be would be fine.
September 23rd, 2024 at 9:49 am
After several conversations with Bucs types over the years, I can pretty much safely bet this will never happen. Seems Yannick makes way too many business decisions when it comes to the run game.
September 23rd, 2024 at 9:54 am
I guess I am out of the loop but it seems to me that having your two best d-linemen out and facing a struggling rookie qb in his third-ever game might be a good time to dial up some blitzes?
Or maybe Todd’s saving that for the end of the NFC championship game?
September 23rd, 2024 at 10:18 am
P R E T E N D E R S.
September 23rd, 2024 at 10:38 am
STACKING LOSSES …
The Bucs weaknesses have been revealed. They are sitting ducks.
>Bucs offense cannot run so focus on taking away Evans
>Bucs OL can’t pass protect the right side, so rush the right
>Bucs defense can’t rush the passer so play 5 wide
If the Bucs will continue to lose if they cannot fix these weaknesses.
September 23rd, 2024 at 10:38 am
We need an edge rusher. Ojulari has had some injuries but he did have sacks at the same time. We have had no sacks and we have injuries. Azeez is only 24 years old too. A lot of time to grow.
September 23rd, 2024 at 10:40 am
Reddick.
September 23rd, 2024 at 10:44 am
All you guys thinking we need another edge rusher need to realize we looked like toddlers in the middle. Without Vea and Kancey this team sucks on the line.
The whole defense looked like they played 85 snaps on defense the week before. Then they were completely undisciplined on top of that. When Whitehead overplayed the run on a Bo Nic option I knew we were doomed.
Only McCollum and Bucky were bright sides.
September 23rd, 2024 at 11:10 am
Or, I don’t know, maybe activate the guy you’ve been heralding the last 2 seasons as an excellent pass rusher – Jose Ramirez? Guy’s just wasting away in street clothes as the rest of our edge rushers are failing miserably. Give him a shot, at worst he’ll provide zero sacks like everyone else.
September 23rd, 2024 at 11:26 am
Dickerson, I agree. Ramirez would absolutely not look any worse than the guys we have and likely would look better. He’s got a bit of fire to him.
September 23rd, 2024 at 11:39 am
Forgot about Ramirez. Yes, give him a chance in the meantime.
September 23rd, 2024 at 2:54 pm
TODD BOWLES WILL LOOSE HIS H/C JOB FOR NOT HAVING AN EDGE RUSHER THAT IS GOOD !!!!!!!
September 23rd, 2024 at 3:29 pm
I don’t get Todd Bowles’ fascination with JTS. The guy’s face needs to be on the side of a milk carton.
Looks like tarzan, plays like jane. Couldn’t find the QB if you gave him a map.
At this point, Diaby isn’t any better.
As for DL – Logan Hall is a total bust. The most significant thing this clown did was stupidly ending a pro bowl center’s career. Other than that, useless.
Ramirez and or Watts should be getting looks ahead of JTS at this point.
September 23rd, 2024 at 4:53 pm
Joe! Isn’t Hassan Reddick still holding out? It’s not too late for the Bucs to swing a deal for him
September 23rd, 2024 at 4:56 pm
StormyInFl
They’re being doubled because Vea and Kancey are out. Their return will help the whole defense.
September 23rd, 2024 at 6:15 pm
Bo nix had all day sitting in the pocket yesterday. He just applied his spf 50, called up the Don Cesar from the huddle and had them deliver him a mojito. He’ll have time 😁