Solving The Riddle Of Al-Quadin Muhammad
March 23rd, 2026
Steal or fluke?
The Bucs’ signing Detroit edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad is a curious puzzle that keeps Joe up at night.
Oh, it’s fantastic the Bucs found a double-digit sack guy. Who could be mad with that?
Then again, last year in a contract year, Muhammad damn near doubled his previous career-best season sack total, ending 2025 with 11 sacks.
Additionally, Muhammad, 30, did this without starting one game. Joe just cannot figure out how any team with a guy with double-digit sacks couldn’t find a way to get him in the starting lineup once.
Was Muhammad hitting on the wrong person’s daughter? (Yes, Joe understands Muhammad only had 6 sacks through the Lions’ first 12 games.)
Joe’s digging seems to reveal Muhammad couldn’t break into the starting lineup because maybe he wasn’t good against the run. Well, then someone tell Joe how a guy who can’t defend the run had nine tackles for loss last season — without starting one game.
Consider, Bucs edge rusher YaYa Diaby had 13 tackles for loss in 783 defensive snaps last season. Muhammad had 9 in 326 fewer snaps (457). Yet Muhammad couldn’t start a game?
Muhammad’s tackles for loss total was good enough to tie for 12th-most in the NFL last season. But no start?
Either Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht got an absolute steal or Muhammad’s 2025 season was a complete fluke.
March 22nd, 2026 at 5:34 pm
Well, Hutchison starting in the opposite end…meaning they couldn’t double both of them.
I hope Jason found a steal… but I’m not real big on a plan being based on hope.
March 22nd, 2026 at 5:35 pm
He was backing up Marcus Davenport before he was injured.
After Davenport was placed on I.R, he backed up another big guy
Detroit said he was too small for a 3 down DE in their 4-3 defense
So they made him a situational pass rusher, on passing downs
Detroit like them big up front
March 22nd, 2026 at 5:53 pm
Until he repeats or gets close it’s just a statistical anomaly, like Jamel Dean playing more than 12 games. And if he repeats he isn’t going to be a Buc again. If Licht trusted him, he would have a 3 yr contract. They don’t trust this guy. Just hoping.
March 22nd, 2026 at 5:57 pm
Upgrade from overpaid, lazy Reddick and much cheaper. That’s all that matters. Best case scenario is he doesn’t start much for the Bucs either because Walker and whoever we draft balls out.
Worst case, he has to start because Walker isnt as good as the Bucs hoped and they dont land a good edge rusher in the draft.
March 22nd, 2026 at 6:03 pm
Joe. He had a big year last season. It was a contract season. Well, this year is another contract year. So there’s that RVATom. Licht trusted him. Licht just made a smart decision.
March 22nd, 2026 at 6:11 pm
How many ways can you write the same article. Current count is 3 times, go ahead and read your archives, they are free.
I’d rather hear new info on our Special Teams coach, our new OC. You know guys currently walking around One Buc Palace.
March 22nd, 2026 at 6:22 pm
Could he be Shaq 2.0?
March 22nd, 2026 at 6:29 pm
RVATom Says:
March 22nd, 2026 at 5:53 pm
Until he repeats or gets close it’s just a statistical anomaly, like Jamel Dean playing more than 12 games. And if he repeats he isn’t going to be a Buc again. If Licht trusted him, he would have a 3 yr contract. They don’t trust this guy. Just hoping
Actually smart on Jason light
If he doesn’t produce you get rid of him
If he has a strong season he will get rewarded with a multi year contract
And a starter position. Even when the Bucs sign someone fans act like they could do a better job. Smh
March 23rd, 2026 at 5:53 am
Fanofdabucs … ‘Best case scenario is he doesn’t start much for the Bucs either because Walker and whoever we draft balls out.’
(This article showed up yesterday but disappeared shortly after several comments had been made Joe. No idea why, but I ended up posting this comment to an earlier article on defense.)
Our Edge rushers are one big unknown at this point. Walker is the biggest unknown far as I’m concerned; he’s a rookie since he spent all last season on IR. Lots of guys do well in college but it doesn’t translate to the NFL.
Diaby is in a contract year & will be looking to ball out. He’s great at ‘Pressures’ (32 in 2024 & another 32 in 2025), but can’t seem to quite get home (4.5 sacks in 2024 then 7 sacks in 2025). I think he plays the run very well (Missed Tackle rate of 7.2% for his career) and he’s durable as all git-out (17 games every season so far).
Anthony Nelson befuddles me. He had a nice 2024 (4 sacks & 20 pressures), but a meh 2025 (3 sacks & 4 pressures). Hard to see paying a guy over $5 mil/yr for those numbers.
Chris Braswell is playing the run better & better (30 tackles last year with 21 solo in only 283 def snaps), but there’s no pass rush there (2.5 sacks & 17 pressures over the last 2 years). I kinda wonder if Bowles is primarily putting him in there for run situations. Or maybe he’s just not a good pass rusher.
Al-Quadin Muhammad excites me more than any of the others. Maybe Bowles will use Nelson & Braswell to cover run situations (both are very good at Run Defense), and Walker & Muhammad to handle the pass situations (both are supposed to be Pass Rush specialists).
In any event, I’m convinced that all our OLBs will do MUCH better if our interior DLine performs better. Adding Robinson to replace Hall was a GREAT START, but now we need to add a beastly NT/DT to replace Gaines. Do that and this defense will be MUCH BETTER this season even if we don’t add any more Edge rushers.
Read a fascinating article the other day contending that Bowles uses a 4-3 a LOT more than most fans realize (in particular a 4-man rush). His is a hybrid 3-4 that’s probably rather unconventional compared to most others. Lots of ‘trickery & skullduggery’ involved to confuse opponents, but I’m beginning to believe it’s just as effective at confusing our own defenders when the talent levels aren’t way up there.
March 23rd, 2026 at 5:54 am
Will he do anything in a pathetic defensive scheme? Will he be in coverage 15 to 20% of the time? I’d feel better about the situation if the Bucs had a defensive coach who knew what they’re doing, which isn’t Lovie Bowles.
March 23rd, 2026 at 6:08 am
al-quadin is the 7th slice out of an 8 slice pizza pie… 🙂
decipher that as you see fit
March 23rd, 2026 at 6:10 am
how sweet it would be if between he and yaya, they could rack up 20 sacks as a combined total
March 23rd, 2026 at 6:15 am
#99 the big fella … ‘If he (Muhammad) doesn’t produce you get rid of him. If he has a strong season he will get rewarded with a multi year contract and a starter position.’
AQM’s gonna be 31 in several days, and has only been a starter in ONE year before (2021 in Indy when he got 801 def snaps, 6 sacks, 19 Pressures, 7 TFLs, 48 tackles with 32 solo). He followed that by signing with Chicago (2 yrs for $8 mil), but had a lousy 2022 year & got released (1 sack). Resigned by Indy in Aug 2023 … to their Practice Squad … but suspended 6 games for PEDs (never made it back to their active roster). Signed by Detroit in Oct 2024 & spent 2 seasons with them, as a part-timer.
JL MIGHT give him a longer-term contract next Spring IF he performs well this season, but I doubt it’d be longer than 2 years. And probably not for an exorbitant amount of $$$. He’d be 32 then, and has never shown true ‘consistency’. I’m pulling for him BIG-TIME though. Bucs will have a ton of other NEEDS next year in terms of contracts (re-signings or replacements for Mayfield? Diaby? Vea? plus others).
March 23rd, 2026 at 6:18 am
remember when nelson had that huge game vs the saints…
had like 2 sacks, a forced fumble, and a pick 6 int for a td in the game…
and then all these jacks and shmofo’s were calling him the greatest edge guy on the planet for a couple weeks…
go figure…
what a game by him tho…!
March 23rd, 2026 at 6:24 am
Shaq wasn’t a starter either when we got him but he turned out to be a pretty good player! Let’s hope this is the same.
March 23rd, 2026 at 6:30 am
I’m years past I’d have assumed this guy was on roids, but you can’t get away with that anyhow
March 23rd, 2026 at 6:56 am
As an aside, Bucs WILL have a conundrum on our hands next year in terms of salary CAP. Mostly on defense in terms of numbers of players, but somewhat on offense because of high $$$ decisions on Mayfield & Godwin especially.
Just focusing on defense, the following are UFAs:
o NT/DT Vea: Age 32 in Feb 2027.
o DT/DE Robinson: Age Age 32 in Mar 2027.
o DT/DE Kancey: Age 26 in Mar 2027 (assuming no 5th yr awarded in May 2026).
o OLB Muhammad: Age 32 in Mar 2027.
o OLB Nelson: Age 30 in Mar 2027.
o OLB Diaby: Age 28 in May 2027
o Safety Killebrew: Age 34 in May 2027.
o ILB Dennis: Age 27 in Mar 2027
Obviously that pretty much puts our DLine (Vea, Robinson, Kancey) and OLBs (Diaby, Muhammad, Nelson) in limbo. And worse, we can’t draft our way out of that (not enough picks). And BTW Joe, THAT 2027 DLine contracts situation is why I’m still pushing HARD for Bucs to draft a NT/DT high THIS YEAR.
March 23rd, 2026 at 7:13 am
I don’t think AQM is a long term solution for us. Licht likely brought him in to buy Walker & whatever rookie OLB we end up with some time to find their place in the lineup. AQM had a good year last season, don’t care why the Lions didn’t start him more or keep him, as I don’t think we’re paying him to be the only option opposite of Yaya. Just one cog in the machine that our front needs to be.
March 23rd, 2026 at 8:22 am
Let’s hope Jason Licht found a legitimate steal in free agency. We all remember Shag Barrett trade with Denver
March 23rd, 2026 at 9:12 am
Pretty sure the Bucs would be doing cartwheels if AQM came anywhere close to that. 🙂
March 23rd, 2026 at 9:29 am
Just out of curiosity. Let’s say we struck gold with this guy and he hits 11+ sacks again. He gets franchise tagged for a year. What would that figure $ be?
March 23rd, 2026 at 12:28 pm
J. Gallo 84
That won’t happen for a 32 year old mutt with no history or pedigree. Upwards of 25 mil isn’t doable with all our cap issues. We’ll be lucky to have 10 mil for him if that lightning were to strike.
March 23rd, 2026 at 12:35 pm
24.43 mil for ’26
March 23rd, 2026 at 12:48 pm
It’s always a bit of a mystery. Teams nowadays pay 2 or 3 players half the salary cap and pretty much ignore everybody else. Obviously he isn’t a long term solution. I’ll settle for 10-12 sacks this year…if bowlzo actually lets him rush the passer. We will probably watch him trying to cover slot receivers half the time.
March 23rd, 2026 at 1:05 pm
AQM was solid pickup however he fits in rotation.
Holy disappearing D Line, Batman! Re: @DefenseRules post above.
March 23rd, 2026 at 1:43 pm
I think we all hope this was a steal like when he signed Shaq. But there’s that word hope lol
March 23rd, 2026 at 1:55 pm
Yes, Joe understands Muhammad only had 6 sacks through the Lions’ first 12 games.
———
0.5 sacks per game as a backup – the Bucs would gladly take that.
Anywho, based on his salary and the Bucs depth chart, seems like a good signing. He might not start for the Bucs, but should be a good back-up, and if he does start, he sounds like he won’t kill you — maybe won’t help you as much as you’d like, but probably won’t have 2.5 sacks on the season either.
But who knows. If Bowles keep playing his super soft zone defense trash, maybe we can keep everyone on the team under 4 sacks and make the cheap to resign for the new coach next year.
March 23rd, 2026 at 3:06 pm
Joe, who are our current starting edge rushers? YaYa plays right OLB and so does AQM. So we have two guys who play on the right with Braswell and Nellie on the left? Or does Bowles move one of the right OLBs to the left side and get less production? Licht needs to draft a left OLB at #15.
March 23rd, 2026 at 6:25 pm
Time will tell, bold risk to take signing an unproven player in a must win season thag cpuld cost jobs with the biggest need being the pass rush by a mile.
March 24th, 2026 at 12:22 am
Todd will have him as the 3rd safety in 3 deep. He’ll be selling popcorn to endzone fans. Genius.
March 24th, 2026 at 9:26 am
Detroit is a legit Super Bowl contender and they let him walk out the door for only $6M. MC/DC doesnt let talent like that walk out the door for a paltry $6M a year. 9 tackles for a loss sounds great, but if he got manhandled on the majority of the snaps in run defense we just added another liability in the run game.