2025 State of the Bucs: Outside Linebackers

Position Group: Outside Linebackers

Players: Yaya Diaby, Anthony Nelson, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Chris Braswell, Shaquil Barrett, Jose Ramirez, Markees Watts, Daniel Grzesiak (Reserve/Future),

2024 Evaluation: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers generated the most unblocked pressures (64) and the 4th-quickest average time to pressure (2.59 seconds) in the NFL in 2024. Todd Bowles utilizes a collective approach in various exotic looks to create advantageous matchups along the line of scrimmage and the Bucs’ defense finished the regular season having recorded the 2nd-highest blitz rate (38.9%) and 8th-highest pressure rate (35.8%). Tampa Bay generated pressure on 45.2% of their pass rushes in the second halves of games after their Week 11 bye, the second-highest rate in the NFL, and the team went 6-1 over that span. Edge rusher Yaya Diaby led the unit in pressures with 57 and Anthony Nelson generated 34 pressures, while Joe Tryon-Shoyinka produced 25.

Yaya Diaby led the way with 785 defensive snaps and the second-year player generated 13 run stuffs (loss or no gain) in 2024 and was just one of eight edge rushers to record 50-plus pressures and 10-plus run stuffs (Myles Garrett, Jared Verse, Jonathan Greenard, Brian Burns, Greg Rousseau, Will Anderson, Maxx Crosby). Although his sack tally may not have been flashy, he made a significant impact and improved from 26 pressures and nine run stuffs during his rookie campaign. Diaby harnessed his power and was named the NFC’s Defensive Player of the Week for Week 18. In Tampa Bay’s division-clinching win over the New Orleans Saints, Diaby tallied five tackles (four for loss), 1.0 sack and four quarterback hits. He became one of four players in 2024 with four-or-more tackles for loss and four-plus quarterback hits in a single game, joining Aidan Hutchinson (Week 2), Trey Hendrickson (Week 9) and Nick Bosa (Week 17). Diaby elevated Bowles’ twists/stunts with his short-area burst and his lethal punch allows him to create separation at the point of attack.

Nelson, the starter opposite Diaby in the second half of the season, played the next-highest number of snaps at 573. Nelson was thrust into a larger role while Tryon-Shoyinka missed time due to an ankle injury and Nelson made one of the most pivotal plays of the season for the Buccaneers in their hunt for the NFC South crown. He forced a fumble to secure the Bucs’ overtime win in Week 13 over the Carolina Panthers. After a rare missed 55-yard field…