After starting the season 2-1, the Bucs have faltered, in part because of their pass rush, but also because they don’t have edge defenders who can consistently win traditional rushing opportunities. With a 2-6 drop since then, the Bucs have a better chance of finishing in the top 10 of the 2024 NFL Draft than making the playoffs.
It would be irresponsible to understand that reality and not at least start looking ahead to next year. The Bucks have a talented roster, plenty of cap space going forward, and could be in a good position in the draft. Bucks fans, believe it or not, there is a lot to be excited about when it comes to the future of this team.
But a talented roster isn’t necessarily perfect. If Tampa Bay is to jump back into the driver’s seat of the NFC South, it will need some upgrades. From now until April, there will be a lot of talk about holes on the Bucks’ roster. Safeties, tight ends, left guards, and quarterbacks will all be heavy topics.
But in free agency, teams need to fill holes with capable players who won’t sink the ship. The top of the draft is where good teams multiply their strength.
Bucks DT Vita Vea and Saints QB Derek Carr – Photo courtesy of USA Today
Force multipliers are players who make everyone around them better because they force the other team to prepare just for them and give their teammates a favorable matchup. Aaron Donald is a perfect example of power multiplier.
Many mid-edge rushers have been rewarded because of Donald’s planetary gravity. Vita Vea has within him the power to multiply small powers. Lavonte David has doubled down on his powers during his career. Mike Evans is one of them. Tristan Wirfs is one of them.
If the Bucks are picking in the top half of the first round, you should aim for a strength multiplier. In roster building games, there are certain position groups where strength multipliers have an even greater effect.
One of those positions is edge defender. If you don’t believe me, look at the Raiders’ defense and ask someone other than Maxx Crosby to explain why that unit isn’t in last place.
The first case requires an edge
The Bucs have a talented group of edge rushers. Shaq Barrett has been a productive contributor since coming back from a torn Achilles tendon, but he needs to be more impactful to justify his $17 million annual salary.
Bucks OLB Joe Tryon Soyinka – Photo courtesy of USA Today
Yaya Diaby After stringing together a few games of high floor plus upside play, he was moved into the starting lineup.
Despite the lack of box score stats, Joe Tryon-Soyinka continues to play well.
Anthony Nelson is a reliable piece of depth, and Marquise Watts shows some high-end characteristics in the smallest sample size.
But at this point in their careers, none of them are force multipliers. At 31 years old, Barrett is declining. It is unlikely that JTS will ever approach the limits of his real athletic ability. Diaby makes the most of some good traits, but his linear movement lacks the bend that most elite edges have. Watts probably has the best chance on this team, but the chances of him being that player are still very slim, especially if he enters the league as an undrafted free agent.
But if Tampa Bay can double up on the edge, it unlocks huge potential on defense. This leaves more room for Kariya Kanshi and Vita Vea to disrupt the midfield. That talented edge group has an increased chance of doing more damage. It will take more pressure off the back seven. Overall defense power will increase.
Current top edge rushers in the 2024 NFL Draft
The two names currently leading edge rushers in the 2024 NFL Draft are UCLA’s Laiatu Latu and Penn State’s Chop Robinson.
NFL Draft Preview: UCLA’s Laiatu Latu
UCLA EDGE Laiatu Ratu – Photo courtesy of USA Today
Latu’s statistical output over the past two years has been amazing.and 23.5 sacks, 34 tackles for loss In just 25 games, Latu has proven that he is a disruptor in the backfield of opposing offenses. This year, Latu added another splash play to his stat line: two interceptions. A statistical resume is impressive.
Latu came into this piece with the idea of using his big 6-foot-5, 265-pound frame to make tackles and bully opponents with strength and power. But from what I’ve seen of Latu, he rarely performs power techniques. No, he’s much more likely to try to win the edge with a bend or Eurostep.
Latu has speed and strong hands. He isn’t afraid to violently brush off opposing linemen’s hands while blasting away with long strides during hard corners. And he uses his extremely long arms to drag the quarterback down. His wins on the outside are impressive, but challenges on the inside are not inevitable. Latu swiped his hand to gain quick access inside the quarterback, then displayed a spin move and an inside shoulder dip.
All of this has helped Latu rank second in the nation with 64 points under pressure this season. Not only is Latu a very capable rusher, he also leads the nation in pass rush win percentage on all pass rushes, according to Pro Football Focus, at 23.3%. In a true pass rush set, that number would be 37.6% for him.
Latu’s tape is definitely impressive. But after his final two years at UCLA and a year off for medical retirement due to his neck injury, he may not have achieved his first advantage yet. A team like the Bucks will especially scrutinize his pre-draft medical to see if he feels comfortable being a part of the organization for the next five years.
NFL Draft Preview: Penn State’s Chopp Robinson
Penn State Edge Chop Robinson – Photo Credit: USA Today
I’ve never seen a player convert speed into power like the Tasmanian Devil. But will Chop Robinson come in a close second? And it might be the most fitting comp for Penn State’s pass rushers.
His rush arsenal is not as diverse as Ratu’s, but his single elite trait may be better than any single trait Ratu has. Robinson’s explosion off the line is unbelievable. He steps forward as if he were Liam Neeson in “Taken,” and happened to be in the room when his daughter was kidnapped. Robinson is able to launch while having enough space to find the perfect pass rush angle and lane to accomplish his goals, while simultaneously reducing the space between him and opposing tackles. .
Robinson’s hands are fast and violent, and he is incredible in the corners. He has an undersized frame at 6-foot-3 and 250 pounds, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. That’s because his every move is reduced to an explosive shot that leaves his opponent behind.
And Robinson understands how to use his natural leverage to perform dips and rips from underneath taller tackles.The whole package helped him record 17.5 tackles for loss In the last two years. However, his overall college record hasn’t been as solid as Latu’s, with just 11.5 career sacks, barely clearing the 10 college sack standard, which gives the pass rusher a chance to succeed at the NFL level. A good result is the minimum required grade for this purpose. Daniel Hunter is the only NFL edge rusher to succeed under that standard.
Still, his performance is impressive, if not quite as impressive as Latu’s. He has 26 pressures (despite the fact that he has far fewer pass rush snaps) and a pass rush win percentage of his 20.8%, and in actual pass rush sets he bumps that number to 26.7%. Improved.
The Bucks would be wise to consider these edge rushers
Penn State Edge Chop Robinson – Photo Credit: USA Today
Raitau Latu and Chop Robinson both have the ability to win on the outside with the bend, a trait that none of the Bucs’ current stable of edge rushers boasts of consistent strength. If a team can acquire one of these players as a first-round pick, the force multiplier effect will make defenses less reliant on blitzes and allow them to win more games with the four.
This allows the defense to drop more players into coverage, clogging up additional passing lanes and preventing the offense from gaining as many yards after the catch. It also allows for more defenders to create turnovers and reduce explosive plays while increasing effectiveness and giving other pass rushers better opportunities. It improves everything on that side of the ball.
And in case you haven’t noticed…defense has suddenly become the more troublesome side of the ball for the Bucks over the last month.
