Al-Quadin Muhammad Had Intel On Bucs
March 14th, 2026
New Bucs edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad was turned on to the Bucs by a Todd Bowles friend and former Bucs assistant.
Regarding edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad coming to the Bucs, Joe speculated Bucs coach Todd Bowles got strong intel from two of his close friends who currently work for the Lions.
That would be head coach Dan Campbell and defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers.
Actually, it was the other way around.
Rodgers likely knew the Lions couldn’t keep the free agent. Muhammad was interested in the Bucs and he spoke to Rodgers, since Rodgers was with Tampa Bay for six seasons, 2019-2024.
It was Rodgers, Muhammad said, who sold him on coming to the Bucs.
“Well, my last d-line coach, Kacy Rodgers, he was coaching in Tampa, so you know me, we spoke and he said it would be a great fit and stuff like that,” Muhammad said. “I really like [Tampa and the Bucs] and stuff.
“So, I knew there was some familiarity there. I felt really confident. I felt happy about it, excited about it.”
Muhammad pulled off a rare feat last year. All of Muhammad’s 11 sacks came with him coming off the bench. Muhammad never started a game. Not one.
“I was getting back to being myself and feeling really extremely healthy,” Muhammad said. “And building my body up, changing things during the offseason.
“In the offseason, I just locked in and worked on different things, pass-rush-wise. And, I got the opportunity.”
Muhammad didn’t even try to deny that having Aiden Hutchinson getting after quarterbacks was a big help.
“I had some unique guys around me,” Muhammad smiled. “And if you have a little bit of success, you get more confident and you get more comfortable.”
Muhammad also has a weird relationship with new Bucs linebacker Alex Anzalone. Each was drafted by the slimy Saints, made their way to Detroit and at the same time found themselves as teammates again with the Bucs.
“He’s a great, instinctive, smart football player,” Muhammad said. “Me and him are really close, really good friends.
“So I’m super excited to be able to be on a new team and still play with him. I’m excited about it just to have somebody that you’ve been out there in games with, in live action. I just know what he’s about.”
Muhammad comes across as very intelligent. It’s still weird to Joe that a guy who never had more than six sacks in his career blows up and has 11 at 30-years old without starting one game.
Whatever Muhammad used to get to this level, let’s hope — uh, oh — he doesn’t try to fix something that, as of last year, isn’t broken.
March 14th, 2026 at 8:06 am
Like the sighting but it sure looks like we are getting older
March 14th, 2026 at 8:09 am
Did he get the intel that Bowles’ sucks as a head coach?
March 14th, 2026 at 8:09 am
This could turn out well. Let’s go
March 14th, 2026 at 8:12 am
If this guys play drops dramatically it will be on Bowles system
March 14th, 2026 at 8:23 am
Good signing.
Huge upside potential at a discounted price.
Takes a little pressure off of the draft. The Bucs can now draft BPA at nearly any defensive position except safety…
March 14th, 2026 at 8:32 am
Muhammad’s an interesting FA pickup IMO. He’s not super-big (6’3″ & 250 lbs) and kinda reminds me of Shaq Barrett (Undrafted; 6’2″ & 250 lbs). Al-Quadin only really was a starter in his 4th year with Indy (17 games in 2021) and had 6 sacks with 13 QB hits, 7 TFLs & 48 tackles. Moved on to Chicago (1 yr) then Detroit (2 yrs) after that, playing in part-time role.
It’ll be interesting to see how Bowles uses him. Will he be a starter (like YaYa), or be a part-time role player like he’s been? Over his 8-year career he’s averaged 450 def snaps/year, but has gone as high as 800 snaps. In any event, I’m convinced that with a beeed up interior DLine, our OLBs will thrive.
March 14th, 2026 at 8:34 am
Are we vying for the oldest team in the league?
March 14th, 2026 at 8:38 am
He ecited for all the money in his bag now.
March 14th, 2026 at 8:43 am
“Like the sighting but it sure looks like we are getting older”
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I like the signing a lot. Yes, all of our signings seem to be older, but all are on one or two year contracts. I expect JL will draft an EDGE and ILB this year to get us younger. Typically, EDGEs take time to develop (especially for Todd as he is still waiting on his first one, sarcasm) and don’t do much in their rookie year. So Mohammad is our bridge, or maybe even better than that if we get lucky.
I have to say, for those who want a G in the first round “for quality depth”, our starting Gs are great. A starting level G on an NFL team that is not starting bc he is a a “depth piece” does NOT exist in the NFL. Our starting ILB and OLB and DTs need some serious help, not just depth. Those are the positions that need to be filled in the first 3 rounds of the draft. NOT a friggin quality back up guard. That is so ridiculous to me.
March 14th, 2026 at 8:46 am
Only edge guy who wants to work for Bowels, Anzalone wanted to play for his hometown, sadly both are upgrades, but aren’t going to make this scheme any better
March 14th, 2026 at 8:46 am
$6 million doesn’t seem like much, but it’s by far the most he’s ever made in a season
March 14th, 2026 at 8:52 am
Most negative fan base in sports!
March 14th, 2026 at 8:59 am
Did he go to the same pass rush school as YaYa last year? Glad it helped someone if he did.
March 14th, 2026 at 9:11 am
This could wind up being a good signing. He has an edge to him that sets apart the good ones. And definitely a better choice than Reddick.
I can see he and Anzalone pumping each other up. And Anzalone becoming the Hardy Nickerson of the team.
30 isn’t old – and it means he has grown man strength. No rookie will be able to come in and replicate that. Between him, Yaya, and Ashawn we are going to have a better rush.
March 14th, 2026 at 9:17 am
Let’s hope he is the next Shaq Barret.
March 14th, 2026 at 9:23 am
Every year is a new season, so hopefully he can carry over that same performance with the Bucs.
March 14th, 2026 at 9:26 am
Every signed Free Agent is better than the guys they replaced That is what you want want you want in Free Agency. Fans way too negative. We were 3-1 against the NFC West, the best division in football. Expectations were way too high last year and are way too low this year.
March 14th, 2026 at 9:31 am
Hope he works out and gets us at least 8 sacks but lets be real, it’s going to be a mediocre year at best because we have a mediocre head coach. A defensive coach who can’t stop a 3 and 28.
March 14th, 2026 at 9:32 am
Draft will lower the age.
March 14th, 2026 at 10:06 am
I like the signing. Wouldn’t mind if they added another like him, eg Clowney
March 14th, 2026 at 10:09 am
JL is wandering through the salvage yard picking up used parts for his broken down vehicle. “Barely used” right Jason? All these one year gambles will have to be readdressed or replaced again next year. Waiting until all the younger guys got picked up by the teams really wanting to get better left JL with the scraps. Reactive instead of proactive. Dean, Bush, Chenal, Edmunds and others were all reasonably priced for the go-getter teams. Late to the party JL gets 30 something 1 year deals. Like they say “rinse and repeat”. We won’t get better until we unload most of the overpaid extended contract tub-sitters. Oh and Todd and Jason.
On the other hand, it does look like the guys we picked up do have a little juice left. We could surprise on offense if Baker and Zach rebound. Defense will depend on the draft and the new spare parts and health. All is not lost, it’s just depending on hope instead of skill. GO BUCS!!!
March 14th, 2026 at 10:17 am
Good signing, you can tell by the fact that the trolls are not flooding the posts as it is hard to knock moves where the new player is better than the old player on the field and likely as a teammate: Muhammed > Reddich, Gainwell > Rachaad, Anzalone > current ILBs (sorry Lavonte), Miles Killebrew > whomever he replaces on special teams, A’Shawn Robinson > Logan Hall, Browning > Bridgewater, etc….
March 14th, 2026 at 10:35 am
FortMeyersDave
Agreed they are better on paper. However, with the exception of Gainwell they are all very short term rentals. Clock is running out on all their careers. Hoping we get a good year out of all of them.
March 14th, 2026 at 10:42 am
BadBucs, I think Jason and Bowles (especially Bowles) both realize that short term is about the only job security they currently possess, so they are thinking 2026 only, the here and now and thus are signing rentals in a sense. A non winning season means the end of Bowles and Licht may have a seat that is getting hot as well since some do think that he is somewhat accountable for the lack of talent on the roster last season.
March 14th, 2026 at 10:44 am
Yes and we herd all the same stuff about Reddick and from Reddick last year. I still say he is a rotational player , not that we don’t need one. However, in his defense with the current players, 11 sacks seems doubtful. His age is one factor, whom he is playinf alongside of is another. I think he is an improvement, but if you think he is the changing point in this defense, well just look at Reddick last year. The Bucs keep trying to find the diamond in the rough, instead of aquiring a real player. As of late intead of a diamond they are getting sand. Unforunately presently I have little faith in this teams decisions as far as adding personnel.
March 14th, 2026 at 10:49 am
Given the Bucs defensive coaching situation, it’s more likely he registers 11 tackles all year, not one of them a sack. But I liked the player a lot as a Lion, where good coaching lives.