The Bucs are interested in Star Pass Rush and pending free agent Khalil Mack. With Jeremy Fowler from ESPN, Tampa Bay is interested in bringing in Macs to boost pass rushes.
The Pewter Report can view this report.
Fowler said, “The team agrees to Edge Rusher. Halil Mac I played Wright last season, and the only real concern about his free agency is his age (he’s 34). Several people I spoke to have developed potential connections between Buccaneer and the bear. Tampa Bay doesn’t usually spend much on external free agents, but they’re looking for pass rush help. ”
Bucs wants to improve the pass rush for four
Chargers Edge Rush Halil Mac – Photo: USA Today
Head coach Todd Bowles has recorded the last week of the NFL scouting combine saying that the team must improve the four-man pass rush.
“We have to hurry up four and do a better job,” Bowles said. “We can get a pass rush under pressure, but you don’t want to constantly put pressure on you. I think we have to do a better job with four of us.”
Second-year linebacker Yaya Diaby saw increased quarterback pressure and overall pass rushing efficiency in 2024, but did not increase with his 7.5 sack rookie performance. Fellow external linebackers Joe Trion Shoinka and Anthony Nelson have both pending free agents, and it appears the team may move on from both.
Last year’s second round pick, Chris Braswell, was close to the season, but he’s still very raw proven. All Bucs produced only 12 bags combined from top four external linebackers last year.
Halil Mac is still productive in his mid-30s
Chargers Edge Rush Halil Mac – Photo: USA Today
For Halil Mac Prolific career, His 11-year career has been under pressure of 107.5 bags and 736. He is a nine-time Pro Bowler and a first-time team All-Pro, 2016 defensive player. And although his best years are behind him, he produced 52 pressures and six bags in Los Angeles last year with the Chargers.
One thing Bowles quoted as being important to the team is to remodel it for 2025. Ballhawks at all levels of the field. He cited reaching quarterback as a priority, as it relates to passing rushing.
“For me now, I want the Ballhawks,” Todd Bowles said. “Whether it’s a down guy, whether it’s a defensive lineman, whether it’s an external linebacker, whether it’s a backer who can punch out the ball and get sales, whether it’s safe to loosen the ball and hit the jar, whether it’s getting a turnover.
“Whether it’s a corner with the nose of the ball. You need Ballhawks, you need sales. You need someone who can see and play things and get things. That’s what I’m looking for.”
It was the single negative he pointed out in his retrospective reconnaissance of Joe Trion Shoinka.
“I think Joe did everything for us except reaching quarterback on a consistent base,” Bowles said. “I thought he was fine. I thought he was fine. From a drop perspective, from a toughness perspective, he was fine. He did everything. [we asked of him]. Obviously, when you think of edge rushers, you’d think of first reaching quarterback. And it didn’t appear from a double digit perspective. Some fall differently than normal teams. Some of it requires you to turn the corner at some point, but you only need to rush the passersby a little more. Everything else, he was fine. ”
Mac has remained a strong finisher in the Twilight of his career. Last year, he converted 17% of the pressure into a bag, and that number has just exceeded 18% over the past three seasons. He also has 12 passes and eight forced fumbles over the past two years. Mac also offers Bucs outside the linebacker room with a veteran presence from high-level players, unlike Ndamokung Suh’s role in the defensive tackle room from 2019 to 2022.
If Mac, whose production of the sack has dropped from 17 in 2023 to six last year, ends up joining a free agency, me and other analysts could have a market value of $20 million per year on a short-term contract. Bucs can easily afford this in terms of pay caps by restructuring star veteran contracts such as Safety Antoine Winfield Jr., Pro Bowr quarterback Baker Mayfield, or All-Pro Left Tackle Tristan Wirf.
And the team must have enough cash to make the transaction come true.
