Buccaneers still facing major pass-rush problem after draft

Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

Tampa Bay’s defence has shown it can get to the quarterback, but there are still questions about finishing plays. According to NFL.com’s post-draft review, edge rusher remains the team’s biggest need, and the stats back that up. The Buccaneers were third in pressure rate at 39.1%, yet they ranked just 23rd in sack rate at 5.8%. That suggests they’re able to disrupt offences, but still missing that one player who can turn pressure into sacks.

Pressure is high, but the sack numbers remain low

YaYa Diaby topped Tampa Bay with seven sacks in 2025. The Buccaneers haven’t had a player reach double figures since Shaquil Barrett back in 2021, and that gap has hung over a defence that’s otherwise effective at getting into the backfield.

Tampa Bay can create pressure through both scheme and effort. What they’re still missing is a pass rusher who truly changes how opposing offences plan for third-and-long situations.

Veteran signing does not resolve the issue

Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

Al-Quadin Muhammad arrived after an 11-sack season, but it is a one-year deal for a player entering his age-31 campaign and coming off a production spike far above his usual range. That is fine depth logic. It is not enough to declare the problem solved.

The same roster-hole analysis pointed toward the draft as the cleaner answer, because the Buccaneers still need more burst and more long-term certainty off the edge.

Big games tend to expose these kinds of gaps

During the regular season, a team can get by without eye-catching sack numbers. But in January, when every play counts and mistakes are punished more harshly, it becomes a bigger problem. Tampa Bay has had its share of moments where pressure made a difference – just not often enough.

That’s why edge remains the most pressing concern for this roster. The Buccaneers aren’t just looking to add more pass rush for the sake of it. They need someone who can consistently turn pressure into punts, without relying on coverage to hold up indefinitely behind them.

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