Do The Bucs Finally Have “Him” At Edge Rusher?

January 7th, 2024

Set an early tone in shutout.

To paraphrase Colorado coach and NFL cornerback legend Deion Sanders, is YaYa Diaby, him?

No, Joe is not comparing Diaby to Deion. But this is what Deion calls a gamewrecking player. “Him.”

Diaby was again a terror today and a big reason the Bucs pitched a shutout and won the NFC South crown. Because the offense sure as hell wasn’t a reason.

Diaby had an early sack of Carolina quarterback Bryce Young and was generally a pain in the arse for the Stinking Panthers all day. Diaby had a sack, six tackles, a quarterback hit and a tackle for loss. All as a rookie.

Diaby finished the regular season with 7.5 sacks in six starts. Finally, it appears the Bucs may have drafted an edge rusher.

Usually, rookies don’t excel at rushing the passer. The fact Diaby is already a terror bodes well for the future. His early sack of Young was a trendsetter for the crazy good defense today.

“That’s somebody we had to keep in the pocket, ” Diaby told the Buccaneers Radio Network. “We had to get pressure on him. [Not doing so] would have been the only way their offense would have worked.

“Once we shut down the run, we had to keep him in the pocket.”

And that was a big reason why the Bucs are now NFC South champs.

“We had to handle business,” Diaby said on the Buccaneers Radio Network. “I feel like this team came together today. We played for each other.”

There is no question the defense rose up when the offense was flatter than Danica Patrick.

Is this what teamwork is?

Whatever you want to call it, and it may be way too early, but it appears the Bucs have finally drafted a game-changing edge rusher.

24 Responses to “Do The Bucs Finally Have “Him” At Edge Rusher?”

  1. All_da_way Says:

    Diaby plays hard and fast. Love how aggressive he is.

  2. Zzbucs Says:

    He looks good, really good…..way better than JTS and Shaq
    But lets go step by step

  3. MadMax Says:

    YaYa is a BEAST!!!!!!!!!

    Hat tip to you Mr Licht…nice find

    OUR NEW JPP!

  4. Rod Munch Says:

    A great year for YaYa, and he looks like a future star.

    Man, mix that with Kancey going into his second year…

    What a homerun of a draft by Licht.

  5. D-Rok Says:

    YaYa didn’t appear to hit the rookie wall. Bowles brought him along slowly, and for that, Bowles deserves credit.

    There, I said something the Bucs/Bowles weren’t pathetic at this year.

    Can’t wait to see this kid next year. Rising star?

  6. Aaron Says:

    Joe,

    You. Are. A. Misogynist.

    Also….GO BUCS!!!

  7. dmatt Says:

    It’s time for us to let Shaq n JTS go. JDean is not a team player. He gives up on too many plays, he’s garbage, too stiff to be called a playmaker.

  8. Miller5252 Says:

    Man I really hope YaYa turns into a superstar! Might as well cut Shaq if it’s a good savings for the cap. Even before Shaq’s injury he was looking like he’s done. JTS be traded for a bottom shelf whisky, don’t think we can get anything from the top shelf. YaYa will need some help on the other side beside Nelson, but I really think YaYa is going to be “that guy”!

  9. orlbucfan Says:

    Go back and look at these plays. Who is disrupting the opposite team’s backfield? YaYa, etc. had help.

  10. Jeffs grandpa Says:

    Relax he’s 25 he’s a man already

  11. Ryan Smith Says:

    Well I hope they don’t make the same mistake they’ve made before. Usually when we think we’ve found a young stud at DE the team relies all on them, instead of going out and getting the young guy help. It ain’t gotta be Josh Allen or anyone, but a older vet that can still get some sacks and give YaYa a rest and pointers would help.

  12. unbelievable Says:

    Looks promising.

    Shaq still a step slower than he used to be, but at least causing some pressure.

    Would love to see another dawg like JPP on the other site. Jane Tryon-Shoyinka ain’t it, although he did have 1 great play today that was def huge for us.

  13. unbelievable Says:

    *other side

  14. Rod Munch Says:

    Good point Aaron.

    Do we actually know if YaYa identifies as a he/him?

  15. Tucker Says:

    Yeah I don’t think he does munch we should probably get someone on that and figure this one out might effect his play if we don’t get to the bottom of this.

  16. Aaron Says:

    Rod Munch you are even worse. I’d venture a guess that you have no idea what misogynist means…

  17. Rod Munch Says:

    Aaron – Don’t you have some rest stops you should be patrolling on Sundays?

  18. Jerseybuc Says:

    Kids going be a stud!! Find another pass rusher in off season D will be rolling.

    Eagles can be had!! Let’s go they are coming apart from inside out

  19. David Says:

    YAYA and Kancey, Vea, Hall- The future is here.
    Need to get someone to replace SHAQ on the other side. Love Shaq, but I’m assuming he has got to be gone with that salary.

  20. Truth Teller Says:

    He should have been starting weeks ago!!! Look at the games. Lol, they would have Nelson on the field. Taking snaps away from the guy and other guys that’s better. Lol, I guess today we played to win just need a new QB for the long term. Lol, the Tampa Organizations better not make Baker Mayfield Kirk a Cousin.

  21. Proudbucsfan Says:

    Hey Joe it doesn’t matter how flat Danika Patrick is have you seen that backside ? It definitely makes up for it

  22. SB Says:

    Let the newbies be Rod…… 🙂

  23. JimBuc2 Says:

    Please fix our leaky secondary. Who else misses SMB, or J. Whitehead?

    Lose DW, Shaq, and JTS
    GO BUCS

  24. nick houllis Says:

    saw a lot of Hall yesterday, good sign.
    Diaby seems to be the best drafted edge guy since LeeRoy Selmon.

    thats a lot of Gaines Adams, Booker Reece, and Ron Holmes folks. and lots more in between!