Lavonte David: Signing Haason Reddick May Be Best For YaYa Diaby
August 9th, 2025
Offers insight on big offseason move.
Joe doesn’t need to detail how badly the Bucs needed a veteran edge rusher.
So (finally!) the Bucs got one in March. The team’s big free agent signing was Haason Reddick. The Bucs were willing to give Reddick a pass on a terrible year last season, in part because of his ferocious play and 50.5 sacks the previous four seasons.
In speaking to Dan Graziano of ESPN, Bucs icon Lavonte David noted Reddick’s arrival isn’t just big because Reddick can get to the quarterback. It’s the domino effect Reddick will cause if he has anything close to a normal Reddick year.
And an immediate benefactor, David said, should be fellow edge rusher YaYa Diaby.
“I think it’s going to be real big, think it’ll ease [YaYa’s] mind a little bit,” David told me. “I feel like Yaya puts a lot of pressure on himself to be this exceptional guy, which he can be. But when you’re on a team like this with a lot of guys who can make plays too, everybody has got to work together.
“And I feel like a lot of pressure won’t be on Yaya as much as it was in previous years, and I think he’ll have a big year for us.”
That’s just it. YaYa won’t be under as much pressure because Reddick will take some heat off him.
The Bucs already have a strong defensive interior. Vita Vea is a horse. Calijah Kancey is about to have a career-defining breakout season. And Logan Hall quietly made a lot of improvement last year.
Joe likes the analogy of the 2020 playoffs. Vea came back to play in the NFC title game after breaking an ankle against Chicago early in the season. He had fresh legs.
With Vea eating up blocks, causing havoc and getting penetration, the Packers simply didn’t have enough manpower to slow down Ndamukong Suh, Bucs sacks king Shaq Barrett, Jason Pierre-Paul and Vea. That’s why Shaq was unleashed and went nuts that afternoon.
If Reddick has a bounceback season, Joe can easily see the same thing happen like it did in 2020 postseason.
August 9th, 2025 at 11:11 am
Besides Haas coming in this year, Larry Foote is back as OLB coach. I think both Haas and Footy have influenced Bowles in the pass-first mindset of the edge guys. Don’t count out Footy as a change agent.
August 9th, 2025 at 11:30 am
Being a SB contender basically rides on Reddick being a 10+ sack guy. If he does that, Kancey and Yaya both get to 10 as well. The front 4 becomes dominant.
I am so psyched to see This D Line and SirV healthy with his speed making plays.
Then there is AWJr and Smith and all the CBs….. ALOT to be extremely optimistic about
August 9th, 2025 at 12:19 pm
This team will win a lot of games and do some damage in the playoffs. They could even make the Super Bowl.
Next year’s team will be better. Licht has the cap set up to bring everyone he wants back, the young players will be vets, and the roster will be deep.
If the Bucs are great this year, the NFL is in for it next season.
August 9th, 2025 at 12:28 pm
I love what the Bucs are doing with the roster. They have raised the floor each season for the past few seasons.
I expect the all levels of the defense to be improved as long as we don’t get a bunch of injuries.
Voss is a clear improvement over Britt and now we have experienced solid depth at ILB.
The secondary has depth at all levels with rookies and other young players pushing each other.
The addition of Reddick at OLB is going to seriously raise the floor of our d line and definitely ease some of the pressure on the other guys.
August 9th, 2025 at 12:55 pm
I think objectively, this D-Line has the real possibility of breaking 50-55 sacks this year. We had 46 last year & (as always) if we stay healthy on the D-line I think we have a top 10 Defense this year. It should be a lot of fun to watch this year!
August 9th, 2025 at 1:40 pm
I think Yaya is a good player and his ceiling is probably around 10 sacks. Kancey on the other hand is starting to feel like his floor might be 10 sacks which is wild.
August 9th, 2025 at 2:14 pm
Joe … ‘If Reddick has a bounceback season, Joe can easily see the same thing happen like it did in 2020 postseason.’
Vea is the key again this year, just like he was in those 2020 playoffs.
August 9th, 2025 at 2:30 pm
What’s with the Bucs and hamstring injuries! Good grief!!