How To Fix The Edge Rush
March 21st, 2026
Channel Mike Ditka?
The Bucs have proven, just in this century alone, that building up the secondary in order to make up for no edge rush generally blows up in their faces.
If you plan to compete in the NFL, having no edge rush is a noose around the neck. And as Joe repeats, the three times the Bucs had an edge rusher(s) that quarterbacks feared, the Bucs had an NFC title appearance (Lee Roy Selmon), won a Super Bowl (Simeon Rice) and won a second Super Bowl (Jason Pierre-Paul and Bucs sacks king Shaq Barrett).
Currently, the Bucs are a sorry organization when it comes to an edge rush. Joe thinks YaYa Diaby is a nice player who hasn’t demonstrated since he was a rookie that quarterbacks wet their pants when they see him across the line.
This is why Matt Okada of NFL.com believes in next month’s draft, the Bucs should load up on edge rushers. And when those rookies arrive, throw them into the octagon and the lone survivor that crawls out gets a starting gig.
Biggest roster hole: Pass rush
Solution: Draft several players (including at No. 15 overall)The Buccaneers’ pass rush struggled to seal the deal last season, ranking 23rd in sack rate (5.8%) despite finishing third in QB pressure rate (39.1%). YaYa Diaby led the team with just seven sacks in 2025, and the last Buc to record double-digit sacks was Shaquil Barrett in 2021 (10). While they did sign former Lions DE Al-Quadin Muhammad, who logged a career-high 11 sacks last season, it was a one-year deal for a soon-to-be 31-year-old coming off an outlier year, as his next-best was a six-sack campaign in 2021. Tampa Bay needs more electricity off the edges — that’s likely to be the team’s primary focus in the draft. Nearly every mock in existence has the Bucs going that way at No. 15 overall, with frequent appearances by Auburn’s Keldric Faulk, Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell and Miami’s Akheem Mesidor.
This Al-Quadin Muhammad the Bucs signed is very intriguing for both good and bad reasons. He has double-digit sacks so he doesn’t need Google Maps to find the quarterback. But he couldn’t start one game last year. Weird.
What Okada is suggesting is that AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht sort of copy Mike Ditka. Remember when Ditka ran the slimy Saints, he traded his entire draft for Ricky Williams. LOL
Joe doesn’t think Licht will lose his mind like that but drafting two edge rushers isn’t dumb. Joe gets the frustration some fans may have and just say, “Screw it, bring in five edge rushers and maybe you get lucky with one of the five.”
Licht is hyping David Walker, but how in the world can you realistically bank on a guy who has yet to work through a padded practice?
March 21st, 2026 at 12:18 pm
It’s hard to go from no pass rushers to something reasonable. Even YaYa can’t sniff 10 sacks. It looks like the three DL guys will be Kancey, Vita, and A’Shawn. Kancey is a good pass rusher but is always hurt, but Vita and A’Shawn are not – they are run stoppers. So the DL isn’t going to produce. YaYa plays the run well, but should go out in pass downs for AQM who plays mostly on the right side. On the left side is Brawell, period. The Bucs need someone on the left edge and a couple DLs who can rush. Joe rightly talks about edge rush, but interior DL rush can be effective too.
March 21st, 2026 at 12:19 pm
With this draft, the Bucs need Dawgz. They need ballers. They need a few players who love to hit just because hitting is pleasant to their ears.
We need a few Suh types on our front 7. Can Mauch or Goedeke or Kieft play defense? Those guys like to hit.
Even if we only win 8-10 games, as LONG as we look improved and players do their best and don’t look lost or confused on D, it will be easier to stomach than what we saw on D last year.
Make some changes, Bucs coaches! Last year was pathetically apathetic.
March 21st, 2026 at 12:23 pm
I agree that edge is important. But I also don’t think that’s the magic bean that will make Tampa Bay’s defense elite. Look at Garrett, Watts, the Bosa boys, Parsons. All great but not the absolute answer. Garrett is arguably the best and Cleveland can’t even find the stairs to get out of the basement.
March 21st, 2026 at 12:28 pm
It should also be pointed out that Lee Roy Selmon played for the Bucs for nine years, Simeon Rice played with the Bucs for six years and Jason Pierre-Paul was with the Bucs for four years.
That’s 19 seasons with an elite pass rusher but the Bucs only made it as far as the conference championship game in three of them. Seems like there might be a little more involved than just having an elite pass rusher.
It sure hasn’t helped Cleveland, Dallas or Cincinnati out over the past half dozen years or so.
Yeah, we need a better pass rush. Seattle had a great one last year without any elite pass rushers. Just a group of pretty good ones. Shelling out 10% or more of your entire team’s cap for a single rusher may not be the road to the championship.
March 21st, 2026 at 12:29 pm
Remember when we drafted 2 CB’s in 2nd round..same premise. MJ Stewart was picked before Carlton Davis – which shows this theory working out with 1 out of 2 of the chosen position being successful. It’s too bad we don’t have an abundance of draft picks this/each year to further test the hypothesis. This year in particular has LB gems that should be available in 2nd round (Anthony Hill Jr, Jacob Rodriguez, etc) in a position that is just as desperate a need as Edge & hand in dirt DL.
March 21st, 2026 at 12:31 pm
Joe would gladly take his chance.
March 21st, 2026 at 12:37 pm
Joe … ‘Joe doesn’t think Licht is going to lose his mind like that but drafting two edge rushers isn’t dumb.’
Given our other ‘holes’ on defense, Edge is the LAST position group we should be focusing on.
o DLine: We have Vea, Robinson & Kancey as starters, plus Elijah Roberts as DEPTH. NEED at least 1 more beastly NT/DT (taking Gaines spot) to rotate with Vea, and possibly replace him next year (his contract year). Kayden McDonald will do.
o ILBs: We have Anzalone & SVD (whooppee). NEED 2 more ILBs, preferably youngsters who aren’t late Rnd draft picks.
o CBs: We have McCollum, Morrison & Parrish as starters, plus apparently Josh Hayes as DEPTH (whooppee again). We NEED to pick up a quality veteran CB (to replace Dean) AND draft 1 CB (to replace Vildor).
o Edge: Have Diaby, Muhammad, Nelson, David Walker, Brasswell & Kamara on the roster now. Fix the interior DLine AND the ILBs and the OLBs we have will be a LOT more productive.
March 21st, 2026 at 12:39 pm
Shelling out $34 million for Godwin is absolutely ridiculous
March 21st, 2026 at 12:46 pm
Step One: Put Bright Licht & T. Bowles résumés on LinkedIn. Like The Step Brothers…they can team interview for various jobs…more in line with their current abilities.
That just might do it.
March 21st, 2026 at 12:47 pm
And Baker at $54 mil. Then wanting to give evans north of $20. All this while, edge rush is garbage, no linebackers on the roster and corner back is needed. So apparently the approach is to try to buy an offense to put up 40 and hope the defense holds to 35.
March 21st, 2026 at 12:50 pm
Been saying draft 2 forever because Licht stinks at finding edge rushers, hoping playing the njmbers game he gets lucky
March 21st, 2026 at 12:51 pm
The problem with “just loading up on edge rushers” is we only have 7 picks, and we desperately need an ILB, DT, CB, backup OG. With so many holes, we don’t have the luxury of pouring a bunch of picks into one position.
FA has been okay, but not enough. And I’m really questioning if Gainwell is 3x as valuable as R. White. Because that’s what we’re paying him.
March 21st, 2026 at 12:53 pm
I think this edge rushing thing is overrated
The Atlanta Falcons added new Edge Rushers in 2025
2024 they only had 31 sacks, one of the lowest
2025 they had 57 sacks one of the highest
But, they were 8-9 both seasons, no improvement in wins
The Chicago Bears had 40 sacks in 2024
They had 35 sacks in 2025
But, they gave up 68 sacks in 2024
They only gave up 24 sacks in 2025
Their GM added 3 new high quality Offensive Lineman in 2025
Their record improved from 5-12 in 2024 to 11-6 in 2025
The Bucs can add 10 new Edge Rushers
But if they don’t fix the Offensive Line, it’s all for nothing
I said it last year, and l say it again this year
Your Offensive Line is more important than any unit on your team
March 21st, 2026 at 1:00 pm
I’m with this Joe. #15 for edge. 2nd round middle of line big beast. The rest whatever. Go after whatever is left in FA market for OL is critical. Even cast offs would be better than last year.
March 21st, 2026 at 1:02 pm
YaYa running in coverage the opposite direction of the QB doesn’t help his sack numbers. Would big name FAs be one dimension of .. see QB, tackle QB?
March 21st, 2026 at 1:02 pm
Ssssuuurrreee Coach Schiano.
The blockquote above is the pure definition of ragebait and/or trolling. This, coming from the same guy — if Joe’s memory serves — used to argue lousy Lovie wasn’t to blame for garbage cornerbacks.
March 21st, 2026 at 1:03 pm
the team needs defensive depth. PERIOD. the free agent signings are a good start. the need is edge, 2 ln, dl, cb. rd. 1 edge mesidor. rds. 2 $ 3 lb hill, rodriguez, golday, barham, perkins, . rd. 4 mcclellan, jackson. rd 5 best cb avail. rds. 6 & 7 best ol aval. & best wr avail.
March 21st, 2026 at 1:06 pm
Good edge rushers are harder to find in the draft than good quarterbacks
March 21st, 2026 at 1:06 pm
Yawn 🥱
March 21st, 2026 at 1:07 pm
Fixing the edge rush would require a new head coach, a new defensive coordinator (two different dudes) and a real defensive scheme. One in which the
Players actually know what they’re supposed to do on each play.
March 21st, 2026 at 1:07 pm
I don’t think it matters how many front 7 we draft.
Bowles doesn’t care about sacks.
Bowles runs a 3-4 and uses his Defensive Ends like linebackers to cover backs backs and tight ends – which is not their skill set OR he drafts linebackers and wants them to out muscle a 330 lb tackle – not their skill set.
And the ILBs we have drafted move like they have their feet imbedded in concrete blocks.
But hey, some followers on this site will blame Baker….
March 21st, 2026 at 1:16 pm
I think OG Vega Loane or Spencer Fano in the 1st round
Move Ben Brederson to swing OC/OG, that’s probably his best fit
I think we can get quality Edge Rusher, ILB, CB, DT from 2-5 rounds
This just my opinion
March 21st, 2026 at 1:22 pm
Joe, You gotta wanna be great. It has to be this burning itching desire. And we not our ownership have it. Every year, A free agent top pass rusher is too expensive. Then how do other teams do it? Bucs solve their long standing Pass rush problem, they are superbowl contenders. But Licht loves bargain basement shopping. Maybe our best bet is to load up on DE’s via the draft. At least reach for one with the 1st or 2nd pick. I am not optimistic though. Not with Todd Bowles. We shall see.
March 21st, 2026 at 1:23 pm
I believe they’re going to end up paying Baker $150 million or more
He’s the big investment of the future
So you might as well start investing in his protection
Draft a top offensive lineman early for the next 3-4 seasons
Quit relying on late round picks like Klien, and UDFA like Chukwuma
March 21st, 2026 at 1:27 pm
Get a new GM and HC would be a great start.
March 21st, 2026 at 1:30 pm
Word was Hendrickson wanted to play for a contender. This came after Mike Evans bolted and days after Hendrickson’s proxy Adam Schefter said Hendrickson wanted to come to the Bucs.
(This is one reason why, despite so many people wanting Joe to play ostrich and forget Mike Evans, that swing-and-miss will have long-reaching effects. Evans leaving is one of the biggest stories since Joe launched this site in 2008. When prospective free agents see Evans taking a pay cut to leave, that sends up many red flags.)
Licht was in talks with Hendrickson. So it’s not like he was dumpster diving. Joe is convinced the Evans bungling spooked Hendrickson.
March 21st, 2026 at 1:31 pm
Al-Quadin Muhammad is a complimentary edge rusher. Get him opposite a stud, and he’ll produce.
I suppose there is a chance that if he is handed a starting role, he will show he should have been starting all along, but I doubt it.
I prefer drafting at least two edge rushers…the first pick and another by round 4.
March 21st, 2026 at 1:36 pm
Defense Rules Says:
“Given our other ‘holes’ on defense, Edge is the LAST position group we should be focusing on.”
I normally agree with everything you say, buddy, but this statement is waaaaay off base.
1) Edge
2) ILB
3) Another CB or Safety
Top three needs in order.
March 21st, 2026 at 1:38 pm
I actually think we have a player or two who could convert to ILB from other positions.
March 21st, 2026 at 1:38 pm
Mike knows.
March 21st, 2026 at 1:41 pm
Is weed legal in Lakeland?
March 21st, 2026 at 1:54 pm
1. Draft Mesidor or Faulk with the Bucs first pick
2. Draft R. Mason Thomas or Romello Height as a DPR with the Bucs second pick
3. Acknowledge the cap is fake and make a deal for Maxx Crosby this summer.
Quit effing around and slam opposing QBs’ decision window closed within 3 seconds after the snap on every single down. The LBs and CBs on the roster plus some mid-late round reinforcements will look like stars. DTs, even Vea quality DTs (of which there are none available anywhere) do not impact sack, turnover or win totals as significantly as EDGE picks and signings. Same goes for corners and let’s not let the hole on the roster trick us into thinking the lowest value position on defense is the problem.
March 21st, 2026 at 1:54 pm
So if Arvell Reese, David Bailey, Reuben Bain is gone
Then Jason Licht should reached for the best Edge Rusher available
Just to satisfied this fanbase, or to draft a need
But guess what, you need a OG more than you need an Edge Rusher
This draft is similar to 2020 draft, when Joe Tryon was the vest Edge available
You can get the same quality Edge Rusher in the 2nd round, you get at 15
March 21st, 2026 at 1:56 pm
***best Edge Rusher available***