Does Jason Licht Pull The Trigger On A Pass Rusher Today?
March 11th, 2024
Edge rusher Danielle Hunter.
Joe just is not comfortable with the current makeup of the Bucs’ edge rush.
Look, this is not a blast in any way at YaYa Diaby, who looks like he may be something. But Joe did not like the way his production sank when he became a starter.
Joe doesn’t know if you want to blame that on the rookie wall (that’s fair) or that by starting, he put out enough tape for opponents to craft a way to contain him (also fair).
The cold truth is, Joe doesn’t know if Diaby will take that next step or not. There is hope, but hope is just a dirty four-letter word. Instead of hoping, why not bank on doing? You know, get someone in here who has been there, done that.
As Joe types this here post late Sunday night, the list of available edge rushers through free agency or trade is growing.
Of course, there is Danielle Hunter. Joe wouldn’t be shocked if he comes close to $20 million a year. Then there is Houston’s Jonathan Greenard and New York Jets’ Bryce Huff. Those guys might be in the high-teens, as in millions of dollars a year.
There are also trade possibilities.
The Chargers have put their edge rushers up for sale, Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack. While Bosa and Mack have monster contracts (both $35+ million per Albert Breer of SI.com), the Bucs may have a way around that.
How much of Mack’s contract would the Chargers eat to have him taken off their hands? That would be the key.
While Joe wouldn’t cry if the Bucs got Bosa, the dude is so brittle. This Bosa sneezes and pulls a back muscle. Bosa has started just nine games the past two seasons.
And of course, the Eagles are shopping Josh Sweat and Haason Reddick. At most, per Adam Schefter of BSPN, it would cost a second-round pick for Reddick. Damn right Joe would pay that for Reddick (remember, it’s No. 57 overall, damn near a third-round pick).
And just for fun last night the 49ers announced they’re releasing Arik Armstead, who hasn’t done much if anything since 2019. He’d be cheap, but of course, too often you get what you pay for.
So yeah, there are a bunch of options for the Bucs to upgrade the edge rush. Joe cannot fathom the Bucs not addressing that between now and the start of training camp.
If Joe Tryon-Shoyinka is your second-best edge rusher, you’ve got an issue to address.
March 11th, 2024 at 7:04 am
Yes please
March 11th, 2024 at 7:12 am
Brian Burns makes this defense very dangerous immediately.
March 11th, 2024 at 7:28 am
If Mayfield is worth 100 mil Burns is worth 150 mil salary cap hell here we go!!!!!!!
March 11th, 2024 at 7:35 am
Yes Jason Licht, bring the heat.
March 11th, 2024 at 7:35 am
Van Ginkle from Miami.
March 11th, 2024 at 7:36 am
Trade Dean for Reddick, makes sense.
March 11th, 2024 at 7:37 am
Pass Rush. Pass Rush. Pass Rush.
March 11th, 2024 at 7:39 am
Get Mayfield to rework his contract.
March 11th, 2024 at 7:43 am
They need an edge rusher bad they can’t rely on the draft sign Burns or Greenard at whatever cost apparently moneys not an issue after paying a journeyman 100 mil.
March 11th, 2024 at 7:55 am
I thought they tagged Burns
March 11th, 2024 at 7:55 am
Burns got tagged. Unless you want to give up 2 first round picks.
March 11th, 2024 at 8:01 am
I don’t think Licht is gonna spend big on an edge rusher in free agency. It’s quite a few ER on the market and I think he will make a good choice at a good price. Remember the Bucs defense was still pretty decent last season
March 11th, 2024 at 8:04 am
I thought Burns was franchised the other day??
March 11th, 2024 at 8:06 am
Get all of them
March 11th, 2024 at 8:08 am
I love the idea of bringing someone in via free agency or trade for an edge rusher and hopefully bring back Jordan Whitehead. Then draft ILBs and IOL in April…. Love it!! Go Bucs!!
March 11th, 2024 at 8:16 am
Brian Burns for a third.
March 11th, 2024 at 8:22 am
Light has to know if they want to be taken seriously this year we need a pass rusher . If that cost us a starting dB then oh well they give up way to many yards anyways.
March 11th, 2024 at 8:28 am
Bucs need an edge rusher bad.
March 11th, 2024 at 8:30 am
Address IOL first in FA. Then TE (Dalton), S (Whitehead) and CB (SMB) in FA for the same cost as one stellar DE. There are good starters available in FA to improve the team in these areas. Then in the draft double up on DE along with another IOL (Mahogany or Van Pran) to build the trenches and power RB (Allen, Davis or Estime) in the first 4 rounds. Finish up with ILB (Gray – trade up?), WR and secondary in rds 6-7.
March 11th, 2024 at 8:39 am
@Bucs Guy… are biggest limfac when it comes to going against the elite teams in the NFL…it’s 1 thing. Our ability to create pressure with a 4 man front. If we cannot do this, there isn’t a Safety + TE + CB in this world that will get us closer in actually competing against the better football teams in this league.
Addressing DE/OLB in the draft is simply not going to work, at last not as immediate as we need it. Anyone at pick 26 and beyond simply will not make any immediate impact on our pass rush, and will require time to develop. This team is in a window of win now. We need a proven pass rusher to bookend Yaya… and for that matter lets hope Yaya continues to improve. He started to have a break out season before he cooled down the stretch.
March 11th, 2024 at 8:43 am
“You damn right Joe would pay that for Reddick”
A 2nd round pick + $15M for a 1 year rental????
That would be a really dumb move
Joe is assuming a contract extension.–Joe
March 11th, 2024 at 8:48 am
Wouldn’t it be beautiful if Licht could pull off another JPP-type trade?
March 11th, 2024 at 8:53 am
No on Bosa. The guy couldn’t stay healthy for the past 5 years.
March 11th, 2024 at 8:53 am
Burns is tagged.
We need to draft and cross fingers.
March 11th, 2024 at 9:00 am
Joe … ‘The cold truth is, we don’t know if Diaby will take that next step or not. There is hope, but hope is just a dirty four-letter word.’
Having made it through 2 bouts with cancer and several other significant surgeries, I can tell you that HOPE is NOT a ‘dirty four-letter word’ Joe. Sometimes it’s all you got, and the basis for that HOPE makes all the difference in the world.
However, PREPARATION can certainly help that HOPE along. For surgeries for instance, it usually helps the recovery process if you’re in excellent condition prior to the surgery. I think the same thing goes with football teams. Having a TALENTED ROSTER that’s WELL-TRAINED & CONDITIONED can certainly help your odds of winning.
In the Bucs’ case, we’ve still got some holes to fill, and pass rush certainly falls into that category. So does ILB now that Devin White’s gone & LVD is getting older (time to rebuild that unit is now). But so does Safety; and CB for that matter. And oh ya, woulldn’t mind having another real bull NT/DT to pair with Vea (if he goes down again, we’re awfully light on the DLine).
Bottom line: We need to hit on 2-3 FAs (probably a Safety like Jordan Whitehead, a veteran C or G & hopefully a bull RB like AJ Dillon) then have a great draft (DE/OLB, NT/DT, ILB, TE, C or G, CB & S).
March 11th, 2024 at 9:18 am
Bryce Huff
March 11th, 2024 at 9:22 am
JTS thinks he is playing basketball
March 11th, 2024 at 9:28 am
I like Hunter and Derrick Henry!!
Draft get OL, CB and WR..
GO BUCS!!
March 11th, 2024 at 9:32 am
Bryce Huff or Van Ginkle from Miami would be cheaper options who could come in and provide some production…
March 11th, 2024 at 9:32 am
Let’s kick the can some more and get loaded up for 2024. We have the skilled players to make a run. Let’s show them that last season wasn’t a fluke
March 11th, 2024 at 9:38 am
Cut JTS and Logan Hall TODAY! Both are Bums
March 11th, 2024 at 9:41 am
Diaby’s issue is that he can’t run the arc, bend and turn the corner and is strictly a bull rusher and stunting back to the middle guy. He’s super fast and strong but until/unless he learns how to stress tackles’ outside shoulders with his speed and ability to turn the corner, he’ll never be anything beyond a guy that can win only when he’s schemed free or through effort. He has to be able to bend and he hasn’t shown that yet.
That being said, Erik Armstead isn’t an edge defender. He is more of a 5 or 3 technique and would do little help our edge rush.
March 11th, 2024 at 9:47 am
How about Van Ginkel and Chase Young?
Tyler Biadasz, and Jordan Whitehead, and maybe SMB.
Trade Tryon-Shoyinka, Davis, Hainsey, and Trask
March 11th, 2024 at 9:48 am
Is it too late to bring back Devin White and convert him to an EDGE Rusher? I’ve always felt like he’d be better there. Put on 10-15 lbs and give it a shot
March 11th, 2024 at 9:56 am
We just spent nearly $40m on a low tier QB1. Welcome to serious roster constraints. For us to compete Baker now needs to leap into top 10 territory
March 11th, 2024 at 9:56 am
It’d be ideal to get a proven edge rusher in FA, since we are unlikely to get a guy in the draft that will contribute right away even if he’s good.
I’m open to trading Davis or Dean for Reddick. In general we should be spending more on DL / Edge than CB from a team building perspective.
Bryce Huff would be cool. Any of them. Then go with Powers JOhnson or Barton R1 for a long term centerpiece on the O-line, then another edge rusher and Trey Benson or one of the top RB’s that can give life to our run game, and that’s a grand slam for me
March 11th, 2024 at 10:03 am
Maybe if you didn’t waste money on a qb nobody else would give 30 mil to then sure. You wanted baker so bad, now enjoy no pass rush and losing 10 games next season.
March 11th, 2024 at 10:06 am
will bake loan the team some $$ to sign him. lol
joking, but dang man……we have no coin for nobody… a horrible OL and qb that relies on one player who drops the ball.
theis is like the replacements lol
enjoy mike’s 1k, cause this team will not be a contender for years to come. smh
March 11th, 2024 at 10:06 am
What starting NFL QB doesn’t make at least $30 mil/year?
March 11th, 2024 at 10:08 am
MP, be quiet bro. Sound so damn dumb. Mayfield is the 16th highest paid QB in the league after his new deal. Are we not supposed to have a QB this season and a QB who’s got some chemistry working now with his receivers? Go sit in a corner somewhere. You are obviously no GM and we can all thank God for that.
March 11th, 2024 at 10:09 am
Boss, aka Mr. Sunshine: Do you have anything positive to say?
March 11th, 2024 at 10:13 am
Can’t picture Licht going big game hunting for pass rushers. At this point he’s already going to have to cut and restructure contracts just to fill out the roster.
I expect him to make LVD and McLaughlin a priority and then start working on 2nd and 3rd tier free agents. Carlton Davis and Robert Hainsey will likely get traded or released at some point too to clear up cap space.
March 11th, 2024 at 10:18 am
Maybe. Of course, with a better pass rush that will help cover for a lesser corner. With no pass rush, you could have Darrelle Revis and Jalen Ramsey in their prime and they would still get roasted.
March 11th, 2024 at 10:24 am
We absolutely have the money to do SOMETHING. Wirfs and Winfield contracts alone can free up 20 million. Restructure Vea for another 10. Cut Gage for 6 or 7.
Trade Davis for 6 or 7. Mike Evans will count 5 million.
Burns was tagged so NO there obviously. Reddick, Hunter, Huff or Van Ginkel makes this team better day 1. Need a C/LG also. Then draft draft draft.
This team can win 12 games if add to the trenches. You just don’t kick the can on mediocre players.
Lets get it done.
March 11th, 2024 at 10:30 am
We need to clear up some cap space. A restructure for Vita would go a long way, as well as adding a year to Godwins deal (look at what Seattle just did to Lockett). Need to make a decision on CDIII/Dean. Obviously LVD and McLoughlin are priorities to resign. After all that, bargain shopping for IOL, Safety and edge make the most sense. We should have enough cash to sign one of each and build depth before the draft
March 11th, 2024 at 10:34 am
Defense Rules Says:
Having made it through 2 bouts with cancer and several other significant surgeries, I can tell you that HOPE is NOT a ‘dirty four-letter word’ Joe.
—
Sorry to hear that DR. Football disagreements are just football. Hope all is well for you now and wishing you the best.
March 11th, 2024 at 10:37 am
Sign lavonte before any edge rusher
March 11th, 2024 at 10:38 am
Bobby Says:
March 11th, 2024 at 7:36 am
Trade Dean for Reddick, makes sense.
—
Yeah the fact that Jason is open to trading a corner tends to indicate he has something in mind.
March 11th, 2024 at 10:39 am
Getting Khalil Mack at the right price would be major. Something the team has to be considering. The Chargers are going to be desperate to get cap compliant, so he may very well become a free agent. He’s still a top tier player
March 11th, 2024 at 10:58 am
You are only as good as your second best pass rusher, so they only need to spend for someone about as good as YaYa.
March 11th, 2024 at 11:06 am
Agree, Sign Lavonte. Mack could be considered. What is going on with Devin? How about Jordan Whitehead?
March 11th, 2024 at 11:14 am
Rankins could help a ton , should be affordable and gives you an interior pro bowl rotation with allot of flexibility…….. This could help a draft pick d end or a second tier f agent d end tremendously. ………. When Vita can let er rip he disrupts everything and when he’s gassed or on the sideline it goes downhill…….. Rankins is the most unrecognized affordable stud d line available……… He’s not and end but he brings allot to the table …….. bouncing any of the three tackles occasionally is also very effective but you have to have three good tackles .
March 11th, 2024 at 11:28 am
These free agent pass rushers are not cheap at all. If we can get a bargain then go ahead. Other than that, I’d go with Chop Chop Robinson with our 1st pick. The guy has a motor.
March 11th, 2024 at 11:48 am
This Beast (Hunter) is staying put.
I see Cousins going to ATL and Vikings keeping this Beast and rolling with Darnold at QB. Shannahan loved him and would like to see him get a legit shot.
Think Mayfield had it rough in Cleveland with a 2K running game and top of the line O Line?
Darold was at the Jets during the Todd Bowles Dumpter fire and had Jack Squat to work with.
Vikings, Packers and Rams should grab the wild Cards so Bucs need to go all in to win the Division. Edge is a good start.
March 11th, 2024 at 12:02 pm
Mack!
Please!
Armstead looked good in the playoffs.
He’s like a better version of Gholston.
Armstead and Hall on rotation at DE? Nice!
Mack replacing Barrett?
Nice!
March 11th, 2024 at 1:23 pm
Bucs will be waiting for the 2nd wave. See who slips through and they can get for a decent dollar. If there wasn’t $30 million dead money on our cap, I have no doubt we would be swinging for a top option. Those of you dragging the Baker deal are knuckleheads. It’s a great price for a starting QB, a top half of the league starting QB. Your other options were trash, he isn’t a journeyman, he was with 2 bad franchises and had injury issues after winning a playoff game with the BROWNS.
March 11th, 2024 at 1:41 pm
We have no money left after Mike and baker and Lavonte
March 11th, 2024 at 1:54 pm
K’Lavon Chaisson… This is the guy I’d like to see in Tampa at OLB the next few seasons… Is young at 24 w/ something to prove & a low dollar market value going into his 2nd contract…IMO he’s been played out of position as a 4-3 DE in JAX most of his rookie deal & looked 100% better standing up – moving around at LSU – than he did with his hand in the dirt at JAX.
March 11th, 2024 at 2:40 pm
In my eyes and I’m deff not the only one pass rusher is up there with having a legit QB. Having a guy who can wreck havoc in the back field can hide a not so good pass coverage. You don’t have to blitz as much and can help set the edge for runs. The Bucs have so better than good coverage corners in dean n davis. They are terrible at zone but Bowles needs to not play them so much in zones. Play to their strengths. When in man our corners grade out very well in zone they do not. Can you imagine if we got a legit pass rusher and Bowles is able to still use his exotic blitz packages while playing man. Defense will be fire
March 11th, 2024 at 4:32 pm
The two guys I thought they might be after in Huff and Greenway are gone. But, Riddick could still be had. Make it happen Licht!