Chris Braswell’s Last Stand?
July 27th, 2026
On thin ice?
In two days, the Bucs will slowly scatter onto the practice fields behind One Buc Palace to begin the 2026 season. It will be the first day of training camp.
And it may be the last first day of Bucs training camp for outside linebacker Chris Braswell.
Braswell was a second-round pick in 2024 and he has been about as invisible of a player as you can get. Even Joe Tryon-Shoyinka had more of an impact.
Braswell did get 1.5 sacks in his rookie season. Cynics would say his full sack came late in blowout win in Week 17 against a backup tackle.
Still, a sack is a sack. Braswell proceeded to do even less last year if you can imagine. In his last six games of 2025, just once did Braswell have 20 snaps on defense.
The Bucs have a demonstrated history of not giving up on high draft picks until their rookie contracts expire. So just from that trend, Joe would think Braswell might be safe, though mired at the bottom of the roster.
With the addition of Rueben Bain and Al-Quadin Muhammad, and likely Anthony Nelson also being higher up the depth chart, Braswell will be lucky to get many snaps this season, barring injuries, of course.
But it gets worse for Braswell. Almost forgotten about is another outside linebacker, who never played a snap last year, his rookie season. That was David Walker.
Walker blew out a knee at the very end of the first padded practice last summer. Lost for the season.
The Bucs had high hopes for Walker, demonstrated when linebackers coach Larry Foote exploded with glee when the Bucs drafted him, running up to Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht hollering, “That’s how you win a Super Bowl!”
Joe knows of no such enthusiasm within the walls of One Buc Palace for Braswell.
In a feature last week on Walker by WTVT-TV Channel 13 reporter Mark Skol, Walker explained how he approached his rehab with intense vigor.
“As soon as I got injured, I knew that God didn’t bring me this far to bring me this far,” Walker said. “I was down for a little while and then I decided, ‘Man, it’s time to attack this rehab.'”
Sad about how Walker got hurt, the Bucs are more than eager to see him on the practice fields this summer. In pads. Hitting. And scaring Bucs quarterbacks (Remember: You cannot hit quarterbacks in practice.)
Here are the outside linebackers on the Bucs’ roster: YaYa Diaby, Muhammad, Bain, Nelson, Walker, Mohamed Kamara (two-year veteran and a holdover from last year), and Braswell.
Will the Bucs keep six outside linebackers? They kept five to start last season. Joe learned long ago from an NFL general manager: Unless you are a starter, you better be able to play special teams or you are an endangered species.
Is Braswell be good enough on special teams to keep a job? Or can he be? Though Joe knows the Bucs want to give high draft picks every opportunity to break out, Joe suspects Braswell’s best path to steady employment is to ball out on special teams.
Joe isn’t sure KitKat-eating Bucs coach Todd Bowles has the luxury to keep dead weight on the defensive side of the roster, no matter where they were drafted.
WATCH: "God didn't bring me this far just to bring me this far." #Bucs OLB David Walker (@dwalkeerr33) tore his ACL in last year's training camp.
Now that he is healthy, he's more motivated than ever for this year's camp to prove what he can do in the NFL. pic.twitter.com/6zS2apXCsD
— Mark Skol, Jr. (@markskoljrTV) July 24, 2026
July 27th, 2026 at 12:35 am
If this year’s defense visits the level of devastation on opposing offenses that I am hoping for, if his is still around, Braswell may get to play enough in garbage time to up his game or at least pad his stats.
Plenty of guys to learn from.
July 27th, 2026 at 2:18 am
Granted, this is a Bucs Highlights Reel on YouTube, but I liked what I saw.
His pass rush grade was 43rd of 115 qualifying players, and his run defense was 74th. He looks good getting after the passer.
He does not move like a Lavonte David working through traffic to get to the runner – he seems a little tentative. But, he wraps up his tackles and he doesn’t give up on plays – he saved a touchdown against Buffalo.
And, he made tackles on kickoffs.
One thing that I particularly like is, he doesn’t give TEs a free release – he actually got flagged for carrying that a bit too far, but I like the spirit.
There were a couple of plays where the Bucs had him as a middle linebacker.
Bowles is all about stopping the run first, so maybe that is why he hasn’t seen the field much. If that is the case, I think that he has made a mistake not playing Braswell more. Robinson plugging gaps next to Vea may help Braswell’s run defense enough to get him more playing time.
Chris Braswell (2025-2026) Highlights | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
July 27th, 2026 at 3:11 am
Brett Moritz redux
July 27th, 2026 at 4:43 am
Wow, the hype for Walker never ends. He’s the best edge rusher Tampa never had. This kid better stay healthy, and ball out. A lot of local media will have some egg on their face if he don’t.
July 27th, 2026 at 6:56 am
I’m rooting for Braswell. I mean, why wouldn’t we all want him to have the light switch turn on.
My Hope-o-Meter of it happening? Pretty darn low, I’m sad to say.
July 27th, 2026 at 6:57 am
Maybe we can trade Braswell to DeMeco Ryans while we can still get something…
July 27th, 2026 at 7:15 am
Who ?
July 27th, 2026 at 7:31 am
HE is toast and Licht will have no accountability for blowing a 2nd round pick where you should never miss if you are a great GM
July 27th, 2026 at 8:08 am
“I don’t trade picks for proven NFL stars in positions of need, Why win the Super Bowl when you can win the draft” – Jason Licht
“Hey Chris, it’s Jason Licht, GM of the Bucs, you’re gonna be a Buc. We are taking you with our 2nd round pick. Can’t wait to have you here to get after the quarterback.” – Jason Licht
Meanwhile Rams trade for Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie in the same offseason
Smh
July 27th, 2026 at 8:30 am
Jarrett while I agree with you there is a difference between the Rams and Bucs. The Rams roster is filled with 30-year-olds, and they are in a win now or start over in two years. The Bucs are in need of several positions in order to make a run. When the Bucs brought in Suh & JPP they were also in a win now situation.
July 27th, 2026 at 8:57 am
You know, the highlight reel mentioned in the comments makes him look just a tad bit better than I expected
July 27th, 2026 at 10:20 am
I’m not convinced he makes the team. If they can prove they have better depth without him, he’ll be cut. The only thing to his benefit at the moment is a cheap contract that isn’t up yet. Either way, this isn’t a last chance, this is just hanging on until he’s definitely gone by next year.
Complete bust.
July 27th, 2026 at 11:31 am
Being a Bama fan I was shocked he was drafted so high?
Did the one scout who handles the whole sec, acc and all the small schools in the south check out any bama film or talk to the coaches?
July 27th, 2026 at 11:33 am
The way I see it, Braswell and Dennis are competing for the bubble roster spot and both might be gone before midseason, depending upon roster moves.
July 27th, 2026 at 2:33 pm
Hire Jason taylor as asst d coord
July 27th, 2026 at 4:59 pm
Trade him for a 5th rounder.