Ben Solak: Bucs Only Have One Position On Defense That Doesn’t Need An Upgrade
April 19th, 2026
Build up the defense.
We all knew this Bucs defense stunk last year. We all knew the defense was soft as a week-old kitten.
Refreshingly, in recent weeks, Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht has admitted several times publicly he’s looking for violence on the defensive front.
Teams with respectable defenses don’t go out of their way to seek violence — they already have it.
For NFL analyst Ben Solak, the Bucs defense was worse than soft. It was just plain bad. Well, except for one spot.
That’s why Solak suggests no matter who Licht drafts on defense this week — this week! — it will be an upgrade.
The only position that can be considered strong and safe defensively is safety, where Tykee Smith and Antoine Winfield Jr. represent one of the league’s best duos.
Solak isn’t wrong. The key area is an edge rush but sadly, “this Joe” is not convinced the head coach and defensive coordinator is losing sleep over the edge rush. Joe swears to tossing and turning and waking up angry over a lack of an edge rush more than Todd Bowles does.
In a similar mind to Solak, Joe has long believed a ferocious edge rush makes the entire defense look better.
The bottom line, Solak types, the Bucs must “solve the edge rusher problem (somehow). Hammer the defensive depth with whatever [draft]resources remain.”
SiriusXM NFL Radio part-time co-host David Moulton a couple of months ago simplified Licht’s job this week. Moulton stated if Licht alwasys picks the highest-rated defender on the Bucs’ board, regardless of position, it will make the Bucs defense a much better unit for 2026.
Joe can’t really argue with that.
April 19th, 2026 at 8:10 am
The last paragraph written is the most logical regarding the draft . No other debate needed , except who is the BPA when it is the Bucs turn .
April 19th, 2026 at 8:16 am
I won’t be surprised if the go slot corner kind of early
April 19th, 2026 at 8:20 am
It is impressive to see your passion to the point of losing sleep. I get it. However, in the final analysis, the only critique that matters is the owners. They seem sleepily content. Nothing will change until they do. Get some rest. Your work needs a rested mind. We appreciate you Joes.
April 19th, 2026 at 8:20 am
We must take the Highest Graded Edge Rusher Available. Give me either guy from Miami over the 2nd or 3rd rated Corner. Pass rush helps coverage more than coverage helps the pass rush.
April 19th, 2026 at 8:20 am
Ben Solak: Bucs Only Have One Position On Defense That Doesn’t Need An Upgrade…. Hahaha….. and I thought it was the DC position!!!!!
SMH
April 19th, 2026 at 8:22 am
We need some big tough guys on our defensive front line
They will keep blockers off our Linebackers and free then up to make plays
I’m sure that was the major reason why Hassan Reddick struggled with us
He’s an undersized pass rusher, hard for him to fight off blockers
But with the Eagles, he didn’t have to fight off blockers,
Their big guys up front kept blockers off him, allowing him to make plays
But that wasn’t the case with our small, undersized, vanilla creme Defensive Front
April 19th, 2026 at 8:23 am
Draft offense! We need to build up a powerful offense and just outscore everyone. Any pick on defense will be wasted.
April 19th, 2026 at 8:24 am
AWJ doesn’t play to his contract. Hasn’t been a factor since he got paid. Trade him to an AFC team, get some draft capital and dump his contract.
April 19th, 2026 at 8:45 am
After the initial 10-12 picks, there is a talent drop off. There will be run on ILB, DT and DE in the late 1st and early 2nd. It would be extremely beneficial if the Bucs could end up with 3 picks in this range to get one of each position
DE – Howell TX A&M, Jacas Illinois, Parker Clemson, Laerence UCF, Thomas OU, Mesidor UM
ILB – RodrigueZ TX Tech, Allen UGA, Hill TX
DT – MacDonald OSU, Hunter TX Tech, Miller UGA
Players to avoid in rds 1 and 2 due to production, bad fit or injuries – Faulk Auburn, Golden Cincinnati, Louis Pitt, Banks UF
This is not a strong QB, RB or WR draft in rds 1 and 2. So what if the Bucs can’t trade back? I would prefer to get your ILB at #15 because I’m concerned none of them will still be there at #46 and I don’t have confidence in some of the lower ranked ILBs. I believe 1 or more of the Edge rushers listed will be there at #46. I also think Orange (ISU) or Jackson Jr (FSU) will be available to the Bucs as a DT in the middle of the 3rd rd.
April 19th, 2026 at 8:52 am
I agree with you Bucs Guy
April 19th, 2026 at 8:54 am
iLB’s do pass rushing, run stopping, and coverage in this defense. A great one will help all three.
April 19th, 2026 at 8:58 am
AWJ was NOT strong last year!
April 19th, 2026 at 9:02 am
They need to trade up and get Styles. Now they have the perfect trade partner that the Giants have traded Dexter Lawrence. Package 15 and Vita Vea for 5. The Jimmy Johnson call is a 650 point difference between 15 and 5. Vea’s worth is 550–650 points. Throw in a late pick or Chris Braswell to even up the value. It’s time to draft a Vea replacement anyway and we might as well get some value from Vea while we can. This is just my opinion as an armchair GM on a forum with a bunch of other armchair GM’s.
April 19th, 2026 at 9:06 am
I don’t know what games Ben Solak was watching
But our Safeties wasn’t that good last year
Our defense gave up too many big plays
And our Safeties wasn’t giving much help to our Corners and lLBs
They were always out of the picture, it seems
When Bijan Robinson scored the first TD on the screen against us
SVD was faked out by Bijan, but ran 50 yards untouched into the end zone
Tykee or Winfield didn’t get a fingernail on Bijan
The deep pass Miami scored on Morrison, no safety in the picture
There was a lot of plays that didn’t get help from the Safeties
April 19th, 2026 at 9:09 am
I have been saying Winfield has been nothing even close to special for awhile. Smith was all over the field last year. Winfield was often missing in a number if not almost everygame. I have been wondering why he was getting all this credit for playing well.
With that said not so sure we don’t need an upgrage at that position as well. I would not be opposed to a trade if we could get somrthing for him. Yes the defense needs upgrages at every position .
April 19th, 2026 at 9:10 am
Even on the 4-14 pass, when Vildor missed the jam, and was beaten by Sills
Winfield got there late, wayyy late to make a play
April 19th, 2026 at 9:11 am
You always need quality competition to get the best out of EVERY position.
April 19th, 2026 at 9:25 am
The Bucs Safeties are not that great
But we need to address the Front 7 first
Then work on replacing the safeties next year
If no improvement from them
April 19th, 2026 at 9:32 am
has licht always been this bad at drafting defense specifically the front 7 or did the bucs lose some important scouts or people in front office over the years ? suh, jpp, shaq free agents , lvd wasnt a licht pick.
April 19th, 2026 at 9:38 am
Bucs guy is right that Faulk should be avoided at all costs along with Sadiq. These two are probably 3rd round talent at best and just combine darlings of the so called media experts
April 19th, 2026 at 9:38 am
ATLBuc, I agree with you, at least for the #15 pick.
At #15, Edge, DL, CB or offense?
Todd doesn’t give a darn about sacks from the Edge, so what’s the point?
At 15, DL would be a reach, trade down and get one – YES. Looking back on it, I would have traded #15 to the Giants for Dexter Lawrence. But the Bengals giving up the #10 pick is waaayyy over paying.
I agree with what Lakeland said. Make the interior of our DL big and nasty. Todd likes pressure in the middle and he puts DL into coverage a LOT less.
CB would be a good choice since TB does develop DBs. But if the QB can order lunch from pocket bc we have no pass rush, what’s the point?
So I would say Sadiq, if JL feels he can produce better that what he did in college (your recent article scared me about Sadie, Joe). Otherwise, why not another WR? Out score the other team.
April 19th, 2026 at 9:42 am
Awesome. That only leaves holes to fill at DE, DT, ILB, OLB and CB.
April 19th, 2026 at 10:04 am
Parrish had a decent year, esp for a rookie
April 19th, 2026 at 10:31 am
Our defense gave up 23 plays of 25+ yards
17 pass plays if 25+ yards
6 run plays of 25 + yards
8 touchdowns of 25+ yards
That’s just poor safety play
Guys like Ben Solak don’t watch the Bucs play
They just blab, blab cause it’s their job
And they are incorrect, inaccurate most of the time
April 19th, 2026 at 10:40 am
I know this convo dropped off, but if Styles makes it past NYG at 5, JL should do everything in his powere room go get him. TBH, I would even entertain trading AWJ to NYG for Lawrence, swap picks, and of course further compensation on our part. 2 birds, 1 stone and some pebbles. Imo, AWJ id small, does not bring violence, and may over rated….. buy then again er can just be witnessing the slow ruining of a good play by Boelrs, a la D. White.
So many toads to go down. I would have began by exiting Bowles
April 19th, 2026 at 10:41 am
Sorry for typos. Currently have a broken finger
April 19th, 2026 at 11:17 am
So the entire defense is soft and slow and on top of that, Bowles defensive scheme makes the players look dumb. If Licht picks Sadiq , then it proves that the Bucs are in denial about how bad the defense really is. Should be an interesting draft.
April 19th, 2026 at 11:36 am
Prediction.
The Bucs 2026 defense will give up more yards and points than 2025.
The only chance is for Robinson to fix Minefield and average a 40 burger a game.