So the edge rusher drafted right before YaYa Diaby in Round 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft has had a similar but significantly better career than Diaby.

That man is Rams edge rusher Byron Young. Each guy has answered the bell for every game through three seasons. Young has 27.5 sacks and 61 quarterback hits and a Pro Bowl trip last season. Diaby has 19 sacks and 47 QB hits.

Diaby was invisible in three postseason games. Young had a big playoff game in a win against the Vikings after the 2024 season.

What they have in common is no contract extension as they enter their contract year (2026). Like the Bucs, the Rams have many strong players and pending contracts issues. They love Young, but he’s got to wait in line. Diaby is in the same boat.

However, Yaya is very much stuck in the mud for a new deal until Young gets one, Joe believes. Why would the Bucs invest before they get sense of the market for Young?

And then there’s Diaby’s challenges within his own team. If rookie Miami Mauler edge rusher Rueben Bain is the real deal and Bucs front office darling David Walker is, too, then Diaby would feel like a luxury the Bucs won’t want to buy. In that scenario, Joe could see the Bucs waving goodbye to Diaby and adding an edge rusher in the 2027 draft.

Again, in that scenario, the team would be feeling awfully great about developing three edge rushers and would like their prospects re-loading the talent pool in the draft.

Big year for Diaby.