Every NFL team is preparing for the upcoming season. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are no different. They have had some changes and additions to the offensive side of the ball. But what changes have been made to the defense?
Last season, the Bucs were 10th in defending the run, only allowing 1,620 yards. Tampa Bay’s defense only allowed 325 pts, which landed them seventh in the league. But it was a double-edged sword for the Bucs and Bucs’ fans. That is because the Buccaneers allowed 4,232 yards when defending the pass, which put them near the bottom of the barrel, placing 29th in the league.
The Tampa Bay organization ranked seventh in sacks, along with the Los Angeles Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, and New York Jets. There has been some movement in the defense. LB Devin White, who became a free agent at the end of the season, signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. CB Carlton Davis III was traded to the Detroit Lions for a third-round pick. Shaquil Barrett was released and then retired. So, who will the Buccaneers replace these spots and uplift others to be more of a threat on the defensive side of things?
Young and Ready for Battle
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The Buccaneers drafted linebacker Chris Braswell from Alabama in the second round of the NFL Draft. In his three seasons at Alabama, he had 75 tackles, 10.5 sacks, and four forced fumbles. The Bucs look to make an impact with Braswell. Defensive lineman
Calijah Kancey had a slow start to last season with a calf injury. The injury caused him to miss a majority of last season’s training camp and the first four games of the season. The 2023 first-round pick looks to have a better and healthier start to his season. The 2021 fifth-round pick from Auburn, linebacker K.J. Britt, will be taking over Devin White’s position as of now. Britt took a lot of defensive snaps when White was absent with an injury last season.
Bucs defensive lineman Yaya Diaby is fired up for the season. In an article by Bobby Kownack on the NFL website. Diaby is quoted as saying, “I just feel like a lot of people are asleep on Tampa’s defense, but I feel like this year, we’re going to really wake a lot of people up.” The defensive lineman is excited to play alongside DE Logan Hall, who saw an increase in snaps last season.
Hall was a main contributor to the Bucs’ success in their run defense a season ago. Another defensive lineman to look out for is Mike Greene, who went undrafted in 2022. Greene worked his way up from the practice squad to starting last season in Kancey’s absence. He looks to improve his performance and play a bigger role in the defense in this upcoming campaign.
One Man Don’t Stop the Show
Most everyone made it to training camp. The Bucs are missing one guy, OLB Randy Gregory, who signed as a free agent in April. Gregory did not attend volunteer workouts, nor did he attend the three-day mandatory mini-camp. The Bucs placed him on the list of people who did not report. Gregory was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 2015, then went to the Denver Broncos in 2022. The Broncos traded him to the 49ers in 2023, but he was waived at the end of the season. One man don’t stop the ship, next man up right?
It’s clear the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have some kinks to work out during training camp on defense. Getting some of their latest rookies and sophomore players to gel together on defense will take some work. But the excitement and determination is present for this young defense. Players like 2021 first-round pick LB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, who earned a spot on the defense and is a solid player.
He has improved each season. Last season, the pick from Washington recorded 45 tackles with only five sacks. Can the Bucs stay healthy and become a defensive force on the run and the pass? It will be an interesting season to watch.
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