Edge Rusher Is Going To Cost A Pretty Penny
January 16th, 2026
Edge rush shopping.
If you want to play, you have to pay.
The Bucs really don’t have a stout guy to fill the shoes of a football team’s second-most important player and the most important player on a defense. That is an edge rusher.
Joe likes YaYa Diaby, but he’s not a stud edge rusher (yet). Joe considers a stud edge rusher to be a guy who can and has gotten double-digit sacks in a season.
And with the Bucs and coach Todd Bowles, Joe is dead-set against drafting an edge rusher with the No. 15 pick, which the Bucs have.
Bowles, since he became a full-time defense coordinator in 2013, is still looking to develop his first stud edge rusher. So in Joe’s mind, that’s pretty much taking a valuable draft pick and lighting a match to it.
Instead, if the Bucs are serious about an edge rush, the Bucs will have to go the expensive route and get a free agent (unless Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht can repeat his greatest heist and find the next Jason Pierre-Paul for a third-round pick).
And folks, generally, unlike the Bucs in 2013 when they let Michael Bennett walk away for no good reason, teams don’t let good edge rushers walk free on the streets.
However, there is another element that’s going to make the Bucs’ search for a quality edge rusher expensive. Ben Fennell, an NFL Films researcher, notes there are as many as nine teams, including the Bucs, that are going to be looking for a stud edge rusher this offseason.
So with all of those teams hunting for a gnarly edge rusher, that’s just going to drive the price up.
Is it just me – or are there an alarming amount of teams that need serious EDGE help…
TEN, WAS, NOR, CIN, MIA, DAL, BAL, TB, BUF
And yes, I have zero clue what the plan is for Trey Hendrickson – or anything else going on with the Bengals roster
— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) January 15, 2026
January 16th, 2026 at 12:16 am
Dunno why the Aints were called out on that tweet. They had two double digit sack dudes this year. First time in Chase Young’s career that hit double digits. We probably coulda had him on the cheap last year but not now
January 16th, 2026 at 12:16 am
Edge rush is great, but LBs make most of the tackles. ILB was our biggest need last year as it is again in 2026. Bowles loves to rush with inside guys too. They’re the play caller and nucleus of the defense. Lavonte is likely to retire and sirvocea has been cheap, commensurate with his skills. I’ll bet we go LB and DT in first 2 picks.
I agree with Joe the DE is better addressed in FA as well as TE. I’m open to Otton for good value, but Baker would benefit from an established TE on the field, with other young TEs on the roster. OL round 3, RB 4, another LB (inside or outside) 5, DB, P. Lock it in
January 16th, 2026 at 12:19 am
It’ll be interesting to see how good David Walker is. That guy that was supposed to bring us to a Super Bowl.
January 16th, 2026 at 12:21 am
But can the edge guy play corner?
January 16th, 2026 at 12:21 am
The Bucs have tried drafting and developing an edge guy with poor results. It’s time for Licht to stop being cheap and go all in on the 2026 season.
January 16th, 2026 at 12:39 am
Yes, the David Walker watch has begun. Unfortunately he was an old rookie. I believe he’s 25 turning 26. So hopefully there’s not much maturing that he needs to do aside from becoming a pro.
January 16th, 2026 at 12:55 am
Wait the Bucs trying to get an edge rush
January 16th, 2026 at 1:01 am
With The Problem pictured above, the proof is right in front of of us. It will be a total waste of money to get any talented edge rusher on this has been’s defense. Simeon Rice would have been Simeon Ricepudding. Fuhgedduaboudit.
January 16th, 2026 at 1:11 am
Would love Reese or Styles in the draft even if we need to trade up.
Get Philips or Oweh. Or one of Kay edge that will be free agents. But we need A Devin still in free agency and one of the Ohio State studs in draft.
Reese could be our Parsons type.
January 16th, 2026 at 1:38 am
Bowzo will never find another Plan 9.
January 16th, 2026 at 2:00 am
Very cost effective if you can find one who is not already washed or just playing out their last contract (Reddick and Randy no show) and can actually put up some serious sack numbers. That is next to impossible. Licht has managed to pull it off twice. Shaq and JPP. But..
Add to that the crazy defense. Todd wants OLBs who can cover and tackle in the run game. That is also hard to find.
Go Bucs!
January 16th, 2026 at 2:01 am
The Broncos have four players who have 7 sacks or more in their front seven. The Texans are owning opponents with nothing but blue-chip draft picks up there and the dumbest, simplest to teach and employ defense. Bowles has his voodoo, and smart players but his defense isn’t performing like the two teams I mentioned let alone anywhere Mike MacDonald has been since the pandemic. One pass rusher will not solve what ails the Bucs.
Why? The way MacDonald teaches his complex, very Bowles-like scheme. We can’t do links here but long story short on the MacDonald method: Teach coverages first, blitz responsibilities second, gap fits third and play names fourth. This allows him to employ any blitz or coverage out of any play or formation without it being confusing to his personnel. So he dictates to his opponents what they run and wins. It’s just that simple- but it’s sooo not.
We roll with who who we do- blame Licht, Bowles or lack of an offensive hot-shot or your mailman’s dog- whoever or all. The best we can hope for is a defensive staff who can break down scout film and build scout teams week in and week out and embrace the trends not in scheme but in teaching.
January 16th, 2026 at 2:27 am
Bowles needs to bring in an assistant who CAN develop an edge rusher. Maybe a great retired edge rusher who has the ability to teach.
Bowles will have the hottest seat among NFL coaches to start the season. If he wants to continue as a NFL HC beyond 2026, he needs to find a way to fix the defense.
January 16th, 2026 at 3:10 am
Why does Bowles still have a job? Do the Glazers not watch the Bucs games?
January 16th, 2026 at 3:16 am
Here we go rinse and repeat, spinning the wheels yet again. It has been established that the Bucs coaching staff can not develop an edge rusher. So no hope in drafting someone with the POTENTIAL to torment a quarterback with being coached up. Physically impossible to get to the qb when the coaching scheme has them dropping back in coverage. So where does that leave us? Make a trade for an established edge rusher? Won’t happen. They come at a premium and even if we do get one the scheme sets them up for failure right from the get go. Draft one? Pffft……..re-read what I already typed. They are set up to fail from the get go. Depressing time to be a Buc fan. 🙁
January 16th, 2026 at 3:43 am
Well at least I will save money next season. I’m not paying to watch this clown .
January 16th, 2026 at 3:58 am
Take the Seahawks route. Build from the back.
January 16th, 2026 at 4:21 am
Nine teams in need of edge-rushers and coaches too, and some of the teams are the same ones. Yes, we definitely have competition.
There are several good ones that may be in the draft. Wish list – Rueben Bain Jr. Miami. Can only hope he is there at number 15. There are other solid ones too. Enough to go around. The Bucs can do this. We need some other areas too; one being a backup QB out of the draft too. Might be a money year for the Glazers in order to build the team and coaching needs.
January 16th, 2026 at 5:05 am
Joes, you also said you didn’t trust Bowles to develop a QB, and he hired Canales who did such a good job he got a head coaching job with the team that won the division. after losing him, Bowles went out and got another OC who did such a good job HE was given a HC job and took that team from 4-13 to 13-4. So you were wrong about that, Bowles just never did it before, but that doesn’t mean he can’t. and yes I know Baker is not DEVELPING A QB but those OCs would have done just as good with a rookie don’t you agree?
January 16th, 2026 at 5:11 am
By pick 15 typically all the edge rushers with elite athleticism and very good stats+ are long gone. In an excellent linebacker draft, we may still be able to get a tier 1 LB or DT at 15. So it’s pretty good advice unless an edge drops.
January 16th, 2026 at 5:31 am
TB could care less for an edge rusher! He’s shown that for the last few years. And JL is batting ZERO on finding an elite edge guy, wasting a number of high draft picks trying to find one. Don’t see that changing in 26 with this same crew running the ship!
January 16th, 2026 at 5:33 am
Then, there’s always hope. We hope YA YA becomes a dominant edge rusher. Yep, here’s to hope. ROFL
January 16th, 2026 at 5:34 am
@rodmunch, you hit the nail on the head when you asked if “can that edge guy play corner?”.
I’ve even seen Vita Via back in coverage once or twice. I’ve seen Hall and Kancey back there occasionally too. None of those guys are outside linebackers but I guess that’s how our genius HC/DC fools people. Well, when Bill Arnsberger invented it and Dick Le Beau perfected it 50 years ago it DID confuse offenses. But it had to be done sparingly or it’s just a really weird defense with built in disadvantageous matchups that teams can plan for and exploit. Bowlzo does it constantly. The OLBs do it 20-25% of the time…each. Well, gee whizz. No wonder it leads to total thermonuclear meltdowns. The Glazers have to decide wether politically correct optics or meritocracy is more important.
January 16th, 2026 at 5:34 am
Bring back Devin White as a back up edge rusher.
January 16th, 2026 at 5:44 am
@joe you can’t not draft edges bc you haven’t hit on one it’s just like qbs keep swinging
No way Bain, Reese, Bailey. styles r there at 15 – best bet is Howell, Faulk (who I don’t want he’s like Mykell Williams from ly) Hill, Allen, or trade down and get R Mason Thomas (personal favorite I think he’s nick Bonito) or Romello Height
You’re gonna have to trade up for a stud bc DAL draft board looks just like ours
Sneaky pick would be Delaney or McCoy at 15 bc they swung and missed on Ben Morrison and burnt the bridge to Dean, both injured anyway and Zions too BORED to play
Or Licht will take that G from Penn St
January 16th, 2026 at 5:47 am
Not necessarily, Joe.
That is, if you know what you’re doing.
Maxx Crosby—Round 4
T.J. Watt—30th overall
Chris Jones—2nd round
Even Micah Parsons went 12th.
With 50-50 luck in knowledge you can find a diamond in the rough.
Problem with the Bucs? That number drops to 99% luck and 1% knowledge when drafting pass rushers. Combine that with Licht’s choir boy requirement and it’s no small wonder Licht can’t find one. He missed on most all those guys above.
January 16th, 2026 at 5:56 am
All of the teams, except Buffalo, pick before the Bucs. There appears to be a drop off after the top 4 Edge rushers (Bain, Faulk, Howell and Bailey). While not all 7 will draft a DE in the first rd, I expect the top 4 to br gone by #15 when the Bucs pick. The win over Carolina moved Tampa behind Dallas and Baltimore.
January 16th, 2026 at 6:13 am
Just wondering, were there a slew of top of the line edge rushers available for the Bucs to draft toward the bottom of the first round the last five years that I don’t remember?
If so, who were they and what player did we select, instead?
Most of the studs went in the top five picks with the exception of Parsons, who went 12th.
January 16th, 2026 at 6:45 am
I think we’re just as weak inside at DT. Pressure around the edge is fine, but with QBs like Allen, Maye, you better have someone in the middle or they’ll just step up, and throw, or run for tuddys. Can’t count on Kancey. Vea is on the downside, after that let’s face it, we have nothing. Roberts is Hall 2.0. Another college D end, converted by Bowles to be a DT. Not his fault, but he’s never going to be more than Hall. Need a Suh type to help the edge guys work. We are so lacking at DT. This defenses front seven needs a complete overhall, not just one edge rusher.
January 16th, 2026 at 6:54 am
There will be rushers heading for the gates if Bowles is still the HC.
January 16th, 2026 at 6:59 am
Atlanta spent two high draft picks on the d line and improved. the bucs should also, this draft had some studs and david walker will be back
January 16th, 2026 at 7:06 am
Cheaper to get a coach that can coach and develop players. I.e most of the rest of the league.
January 16th, 2026 at 7:23 am
Wow there’s just so much stupid in here.
Trade up from the 15th pick in the draft for an off ball LBer?!?! GTFO!!
Against drafting an edge rusher at 15? Why? Por Que?? Because JTS, who was drafted with the 32 pick 5 years ago, didn’t work out?! How many edge rushers have the Bucs drafted in the top 15 in the last decade plus??
If there is a stud edge rusher (there will be) there at 15, or even if you have to trade up a few spots, you draft them. End of story. Folks don’t let good edge rushers hit FA and if one does, there will be a huge bidding war and the Bucs will fall short.
January 16th, 2026 at 7:23 am
I have a feeling they won’t spend too much in FA this year. If they don’t find a pass rush in the draft this year then they won’t overpay a FA. Why waste future draft capital and/or cash on one player when the defense needs many players and a better DC of course.
We’ll probably see more of the same when it comes to the pass rush unless they find a diamond in the rough.
January 16th, 2026 at 7:24 am
At this point it’s unlikely that Todd Bowles is here in ‘27. It’s absolutely silly to dismiss taking a position because you haven’t hit on it before. It’s the same as if you’re staring at a game changer at qb but you pass because you e never successfully developed one before.
I would imagine the top of the top rushers are going to be gone by the time we pick so it’s probably irrelevant but if one might fall for some reason it’d be malpractice not to consider them if the player is far and away the best.
January 16th, 2026 at 7:42 am
What Scotty said–hit rate on edge rushers outside of the top ten is poor, like QB-ish. Either trade up or go the FA route. We have too many needs to waste more high picks on dudes like JTS and Braswell