YaYa Diaby’s Breakout Season?
September 2nd, 2025
Should QBs fear him?
Since Bucs edge rusher YaYa Diaby had a home sack against Carolina in December of 2023 to give him five sacks as a rookie, YaYa has hit a drought.
In the 22 regular-season games since his fifth sack, YaYa has seven sacks. Not exactly great.
Joe thinks the cause of that dropoff was twofold. Few teams knew YaYa existed in his rookie season. Once he played and racked up sacks, teams began preparing for him.
Then last year, teams knew YaYa was the only Bucs edge rusher they had to worry about. Joe Tryon-Shoyinka? Pppfffttt! Teams pretty much left him alone, sort of, with single coverage and decided to make sure YaYa didn’t hurt them.
So in a sense, YaYa last year was a marked man.
On paper, one would think YaYa will have a better 2025 season. Joe will get to that in a moment. So over at BSPN, Seth Walder, a guy who never met a number he didn’t like, is thinking YaYa busts out this fall as one of the better edge rushers.
Bold prediction for 2025: Diaby will record double-digit sacks in a breakout season. Diaby put up a solid 15% pass rush win rate as a sophomore (close to average for an edge rusher) along with 4.5 sacks. In Todd Bowles’ blitz-heavy scheme, his numbers could jump.
Joe thinks YaYa may just live up to Walder’s expectations.
YaYa went to Maxx Crosby’s “Sack Summit” in Las Vegas over the summer. That’s where all the top edge rushers in the game — past, present and future — gather to help each other improve with ideas and techniques.
Joe spoke with YaYa in training camp and he is convinced the small things he learned at the “Sack Summit” will translate into more sacks.
Also, if Haason Reddick can make any sort of dent with production, teams will have to account for him. Reddick succeeding would mean a third focus for offenses: Vita Vea, Calijah Kancey and Reddick. There are only so many bodies a team can use on offense. So, YaYa ought to see a lot more single coverage if Reddick plays well.
Combine that with YaYa appearing in the best shape of his life and being a wider edge rusher, YaYa very well could blow up this fall.
September 2nd, 2025 at 4:09 am
Never understood why a player wears 0
September 2nd, 2025 at 4:33 am
Hope you’re right Joe. Havent seen anything form either one yet sooo.
Go Bucs!
September 2nd, 2025 at 4:54 am
From Seth Walder’s mouth to God’s ears, let’s hope so. Him, and Reddick need bounce back years. Let’s not forget our prized free agent only had one sack last year. Za Alexander had more sacks last year for the Lions than both our starters, he’s still unsigned. Bucs would be wise to bring him in. Even if Ya, and Red do well, he’d be better coming off the bench than Braswell, and Nelson.
September 2nd, 2025 at 6:19 am
Reddick, Diaby, Vea and Kancey should ALL get close to or exceed 10 sacks apiece this year.
Reddick 11, Diaby 10, Vea 7.5, Kancey 9…. something like that
September 2nd, 2025 at 6:34 am
The game can’t get here fast enough. I’ve had enough of speculation for one offseason.
September 2nd, 2025 at 6:48 am
You would think the Bucs could get there with those four. Who do you double? Most teams are definitely going to have have to double Vea. Probably not Kancy, so that leaves a double on either Reddick or Diaby, leaving the other one singled up. Of course, the tight end may very well play a prominent blocking role so that teams can double up three, but that leaves another one or two players free to blitz.
September 2nd, 2025 at 7:34 am
I don’t want to just WIN over Atlanta, I want to CRUSH them, salt their fields, make them pine for the days of Steve Bartowski
September 2nd, 2025 at 7:48 am
I like how Simeon dropped a little knowledge on YaYa when he said “I’m always throwing my fastball at your head”. If the real Reddick shows up and YaYa stops trying to play off his opponent and leads with his fastball instead, double digits await.
September 2nd, 2025 at 8:05 am
Reddick, Kancey, Yaya ALL get 10+ sacks
Kancey just needs to be healthy.
Yaya is ready to bust out with the addition of Reddick on the other side.
I believe Reddick is what he was in Philly.
Plus, they have one of the best offenses in the NFL. Other teams are going to have to pass a lot, hopefully playing catch-up.
With Winfield, Smith, the rookie CBs pushing Dean and Zion and a healthy SirV, pass coverage should be better
LFG!!
September 2nd, 2025 at 8:27 am
ATL will be a huge game for the Buc pass rushers. I’m hopping for 7 total sacks in this game and maybe with the Dixie Chicks problem at RT Reddick could get 5
September 2nd, 2025 at 8:36 am
I don’t buy Joe’s reasons for YaYa’s lack of production. YaYa just bull rushes, doesn’t have counter moves, and doesn’t use his hands well. He’s usually on the right DL against very good left tackles.
@Smashsquatch rightly points out Simeon’s great discussion, but I’m not sure that YaYa really got it. I’d love to see Simeon spend move time with the team. I’m also somewhat hopeful that moving Larry Foote back to OLB coach will increase YaYa’s productivity.
But overall, I think that YaYa improves, but not a huge step. I hope I’m wrong. LFG! Bury the Falcons!
September 2nd, 2025 at 8:44 am
YaYa talks a good game now is his chance to back it up. Hope Sim taught him some moves this Summer.
September 2nd, 2025 at 8:59 am
love the name YaYa but my issue is he has zero pass rush moves. Really hope he balls out the Bucs need him this is supposed to be the year
September 2nd, 2025 at 10:44 am
Just a thought, maybe stop dropping him in coverage on obvious passing downs, like 3rd n 17 in the 4th quarter in a playoff game, or don’t have your DBs 10 yards away from the receiver so a QB can throw a wide open 3 yard slant in under 2 seconds, or better yet, get a defensive coordinator that knows stopping the run isn’t the most important thing anymore, this isn’t 2000 or before
September 2nd, 2025 at 11:55 am
He’s strong and has a great motor but he’s NOT a natural pass rusher. He gets suckered to go inside a lot where he gets stuffed. About 5-7 sacks a year will be his celling.
September 2nd, 2025 at 12:02 pm
You do realize that Greek’s call their grandmothers Ya Ya? LOL. I find it ironic
September 2nd, 2025 at 12:06 pm
Archive this: 13.5 sacks. Nice solid number. Go to town my son, go to town.
September 2nd, 2025 at 12:07 pm
I’ve noticed that NO ONE, and I mean NO ONE sings Bowles defensive praises anymore ( and I DON’T mean on jbf). Not here either. He’s so “out of phase with the actual games that we are playing”! Bowles has a SERIOUS PROBLEM reading a Game Plan Or a room…
He has become the Mike Smith that is for some Bizzaro reason trying Very Unsuccessfully to push Square pegs into Round opponent game plans! They are simply running Right around his Square strategies… It’s to the point of OBSCENE!
I surely hope this man has SNAPPED OUT OF IT! Because I No Longer give much of a crap about calling out Bowles.. I WANT TO WIN GAMES AND GO TO A SUPER BOWL!
I’m Literally SICK of this Running Joke! Mr. Bowles, if you’re not willing to even try to change your tactics and win games by being able to be flexible and compete in “today’s game”, then it’s time for you to retire.
This is your last year to be the Head Coach that ” You Could Be”. If you don’t change up then you ARE IN THE WAY of A WHOLE LOT OF FANS AND PLAYERS DESIRES TO WIN! And if not, the fans will be So Loud concerning YOU LEAVING that it won’t be ignored…