Adjusting To An Edge Rush
February 23rd, 2026
How skilled is Rueben Bain covering receivers?
Joe read an interesting breakdown of edge rushers. It motivated Joe to try to think outside the box.
Ben Solak of BSPN typed a piece ranking and discussing the best positions to find available help this offseason, combining both free agency and the draft.
When it comes to an edge rush, Solak, without mentioning teams, suggested if a general manager cannot find an edge rusher this offseason, it may be time for change.
But Joe thinks that is irresponsible. Finding a player is half the battle. The other half is for the coaching staff to put the guy in position to make plays and to coach him up.
Since Todd Bowles took over the Bucs, the closest the Bucs have had to an edge rusher is YaYa Diaby, who had 7.5 sacks his rookie year (2023), his high-water mark.
Solak rattled off all sorts of players, in theory, could help the Bucs’ edge rush. What Solak did not address is how well all of those players perform in pass coverage.
Look, Joe’s not going to be a hypocrite and rag on Bowles’ for dropping guys in coverage. Every team does it. But it does seem Bowles is more concerned with edge rushers playing like safeties rather than edge rushers.
Bowles has repeatedly said when the subject of an edge rush comes up — something along the lines of, “We ask them to do other things.”
For example, of the hundreds of draft reports on players we will all read between now and the draft in two months, Joe is willing to bet a cold draft beer that nowhere will you read about Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain’s skillset covering running backs downfield on passing downs.
Of all the edge rushers, free agents and draft prospects Solak cited, how many of those guys could come in, learn Bowles’ system, and not get benched for poor pass defense?
If the Bucs land a talented edge rusher either in free agency or the draft (or both?), Joe just hopes Bowles is willing to adjust and allow the guy to earn what he is being paid to do: get after the quarterback first and foremost.
If you want to drop the guy into coverage every now and then, OK. But focus the guy on the very reason he will be on the Bucs roster.
February 23rd, 2026 at 9:08 am
All we need is One-a guy that can get to the Passer and affect the game when its needed. Is that asking too much? The Shaq days were a long time ago. We need double digit sack guy to return and help our Putrid Pass Defense that is back for another go this year! Get off the Field on 3rd down by any means (players wise) possible.
February 23rd, 2026 at 9:11 am
Please sign a proven edge in FA, as you have proven you cannot draft onbe or speculate one on the cheap.
February 23rd, 2026 at 9:17 am
Why would an edge rusher want to come to a team that reduces his chance of sacks. That’s how they make the big money. Unless he is on his last leg.
February 23rd, 2026 at 9:20 am
The problem was Shaq Barrett dominating, JPP reaching double-digit sacks. Now Bowles is sold that everybody can do what they did. So he drafts players, eeeerrr Bucs Men, to fit his system, it becomes difficult to sign a free agent pass rusher, who wants to rush the passer. What if there is an incentive for sacks, and in the last game of the season, Bowles has the pass rusher drop back?
February 23rd, 2026 at 9:30 am
I love that you mentioned Bain. It would be a misuse of talent to have him drop into coverage, but if you allow him to do what he does best, he’ll radically energize our pass rush. Dude is a Beast!
Instead of trading for Maxx Crosby, trade up for Bain. Bain has more upside and will cost less in the short-term.
February 23rd, 2026 at 9:32 am
Ding!
Joe trusts Crosby in this defense more than a rookie. When Bowles develops his first edge rusher, call Joe.
Ransom would probably be the same.
February 23rd, 2026 at 9:34 am
At what point do they just kick this guy outta the building? The mere basic premise that he cant look past his own ego and admit his defense sucks is a problem. U see it in his coaching decisions and the lack of accountability with letting qb stand there and rip his defense apart all over the field. If I owned this team id point blank look him in the eye and ask are yiu fcking blind or just stupid? Change your defense. Get a pass rush and simplify it before I throw your ass on the streets. Msybe thats the only language this guy understands. Bc judging by what I see now. In one ear. Out the the other.
February 23rd, 2026 at 10:57 am
When you run the 3-4 against the 12, you have 2 like YaYa and Hassan on the edge. If they both rush, that’s 5 rushing. That’s a blitz. It’s normal to drop one of them.
February 23rd, 2026 at 11:42 am
Shaq & JPP regularly got the QB on the ground and won their battles. Since then it’s been an “almost there” defense when it comes to sacks. You have to have a guy that gets there consistently to be able to fool the offense and drop a guy from the line back into coverage and the other rusher has to get home or it’s a busted play. If this team had 1 or 2 guy’s that could be successful sacking the QB I don’t think Bowles runs that as much, it’s a trick play used to try to create a sack or turnover not one to be used constantly. I think he used it more because he didn’t have the horses to get to the QB so he relied on trickery and confusion than straight up muscle to sack the QB.
February 23rd, 2026 at 11:47 am
Joe, here’s a hat’s off to you. To day after day trying to bring normalcy to a discussion of edge rushers in the current Buc environment has to be like pushing a big rock up a hill. Tough and totally worthless.
When those incompetent Glaziers kept this grossly inept HC and GM(?), it turned a fan since 1978 like me into a troll. I can remember back when Detroit had a guy named Les Bingaman. He was the first 300+ player I remember back decades ago. He destroyed the middle of the line for opponents. Don’t recall seeing him drop into coverage.
Sure teams occasionally have linemen drop into coverage to surprise opponents. Do do it 50% and it no longer surprises anyone. Combined with a GM that keeps a worthless JTS and a “surprising” Braswell as edge rushers and you have a total, out of control dumpster fire of a defense. Good luck trying to sell fans on this club as configured. “Third and 28”, should be discussed in his exit interview.
February 23rd, 2026 at 12:03 pm
No matter what you say, Bowles will make a BS excuse and respond with the opposite. Lickt is just like his dumb little puppy dog jumping around and waggin’ his tail. Totally, CLUELESS. They don’t know what the hell they’re doing.
February 23rd, 2026 at 1:10 pm
“Joe just hopes Bowles is willing to adjust and allow the guy to earn what he is being paid to do: get after the quarterback first and foremost.”
He did, once, a few years ago. I don’t remember his exact quote, but it was something like, “time to let lions be lions,” referring to the natural skill sets of our players that he was going to utilize for a particular game. More of that, please. Hail Mary defensive schemes aren’t likely to hold opponents on scenarios like 3rd and 28. Or 4th and 14.
February 23rd, 2026 at 1:40 pm
The way I see it is that if Bowles blows it this year, any drafted edge rushers will have their rookie year out of the way under a new head coach.
But it’s also worth mentioning: Bowles drops them in coverage because the secondary was not getting the job done.
We have young secondary coming off rookie years, and they should improve this year.
Also, when he was DC under Arians, Bowles used Shaq and JPP to get sacks, so there is no reason to think he would refuse to use personnel properly now.
February 23rd, 2026 at 1:41 pm
What we truly need…is ruthless aggression.
February 23rd, 2026 at 1:48 pm
Seattle (MacDonald) also doesn’t have an edge rusher, or any pass rusher, that had over 7 sacks.
Consistent pressure matters – where it comes from does not matter as long as it gets there CONSISTENTLY and it gets there fast enough to effect the QB.
February 23rd, 2026 at 2:36 pm
Are you willing to bet a “frosty cold Budweiser” Joe?
February 23rd, 2026 at 2:46 pm
We might as well just start drafting CB/S players and saying they are going to play DE lol
February 23rd, 2026 at 3:36 pm
@Buccaneer Bonzai
I agree that our young defensive backs will improve this year but don’t believe Todd drops OLBs or linemen into coverage because of the secondary.
Todd does this for the same reason many/most DCs do = to confuse the QB and O-line and try to get free runners.
You’d be hard pressed to find a team that DOESN’T drop linemen as a tactic league wide. It’s been going on for years (see Harrison SB Vlll 🤣) and is increasing. The continued narrative by some people that Todd is doing something uniquely stupid by using this strategy is uneducated at best and definitely misleading.
We definitely need an improved pass rush – no doubt – but I don’t think Todd should, or will, abandon a strategy that the whole league thinks is effective and uses.
February 23rd, 2026 at 4:06 pm
Let’s not forget that bowles did take a ba k up linebacker from Denver and developed into a.great pass rushing sacker…stop with the talk about his ability. Perhaps he needs better players!
February 23rd, 2026 at 5:31 pm
I have kinda forgotten this, we haven’t had anybody bend the corner worth a damn in a while.
Let’s Go Bucs!!!!
February 23rd, 2026 at 5:43 pm
I am more concerned having Vita drop into coverage
February 23rd, 2026 at 6:02 pm
I’m pretty sure Bain is going in the top 10, maybe even the top 5.
February 23rd, 2026 at 8:33 pm
Running a 3-4 allows you to choose the best players in any given situation to stop the pass or run. That’s why the whole front 7 is so important. We need speedy great tackling inside and outside linebackers. Only 1 OLB rushes the passer on a given play or it’s typically a blitz because of personnel. Bowles typically sends the best pass rushers available. It’s that freedom to flood an area that makes a 3-4 so tricky to deal with. Both Seattle and the Texans typically run a 3-4 and they were the #1 and #2 best defenses last year. So it is effective with the right personnel.
February 23rd, 2026 at 8:34 pm
I agree with Tom Petty
February 23rd, 2026 at 9:30 pm
Bowles loves to rush the passer…His squad frequently rate in the top 5 blitzing defenses in the league – generally 35-40% of DEF plays will be blitz calls….He just seems to prefer using ILB, S & CB to do so.
The problem I see is that the whole league knows it…He’s ran the same system for so long that it’s predictable – everyone knows that 50% of his 3rd downs will be an “exotic” blitz using those positions…& why many times the Bucs D can’t get off the field after getting burnt because of it… WHICH DRIVES ME CRAZY!!
February 23rd, 2026 at 9:50 pm
Can always tell a “Lee “ column. Edge rushers are born, not made. Show me a great edge rusher, and I’ll show you one who had the “ it” factor from the get-go. the secret is seeing the potential that others don’t see, à la shaq b.