There could be a serious lack of get-there in the pass-rush department for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2024 season. So what can the Buccaneers do before training camp begins to fill out their roster and address this need?
Simply put, edge rusher is the issue. Have the Buccaneers mailed it in at the position? Maybe so, unless second-round pick Chris Braswell quickly becomes a star.
But since Braswell is listed second on the depth chart going into training camp, Tampa Bay needs to set it sights on a free agent. And the answer is Emmanuel Ogbah. The 6-foot-4, 275-pound Ogbah doesn't carry NFL star credentials, but he can fill a need.
Truth be told, at this stage of his career Ogbah isn't going to put up superstar numbers. Injuries clipped him 2022, but he totaled 5.5 sacks in a reserve role for the Dolphins in 2023. That tied for the third-highest total of his career. Ogbah racked up nine sacks in both 2020 and 2021.
Why does LB Emmanuel Ogbah makes sense for the Buccaneers?
The best thing Ogbah could bring in a northern Florida move is explosiveness. Ogbah has the power, strength and balance to overwhelm offensive linemen at times. He still has the kick left to rush opposing quarterbacks, especially if his role is monitored in a frequent rotational unit.
Also, Ogbah remains capable of pulling off starting assignments when the matchup rests in his favor. That is, when teams come in pass heavy.
Tampa Bay will utilize Yaya Diaby, newcomer Randy Gregory, former first-rounder Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Braswell when the 2024 season begins. Anthony Nelson is also part of that mix. However, none of the veterans in that group played more than half of his team's snaps in 2023.
Linebacker life is made easier when the defensive front excels. But the Buccaneers' linebackers can't rest on getting that boost. Vita Vea is still in the middle of that unit, but Pro Football Focus ranked Tampa Bay in the No. 20 spot heading into the season.
“Vea is by far the group's best player, and even Vea doesn’t consistently match his highlight reel,” PFF said. “Fourteen defensive tackles earned a better PFF run-defense grade than him last season, and 39 notched more pressures, including 355-pound nose tackle Michael Pierce.
“Calijah Kancey has big-time pass-rushing potential inside, while Randy Gregory, Yaya Diaby and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, along with rookie Chris Braswell, could all generate pressure.”
Now take all of that talk and add Ogbah to the group. It's not a fix-a-flat, but it's not a bandaid, either. There's real value assigned to bringing in a veteran like Ogbah.
Ogbah could benefit a young player like Braswell
There's little doubt whether Braswell can play on Sundays. Playing for perennial powerhouse Alabama, Braswell led the SEC in pressures with 56 while also racking up 10.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks and three forced fumbles, according to buccaneers.com. He proved he's capable of causing problems on twists and stunts, thanks to his gifted lateral agility.
“He is a young man that when we looked at him on tape, he displayed the skillset of everything we were going to ask him to do,” said Tampa Bay linebacker coach George Edwards. “We had a clear vision for what we were getting with him coming in. Anytime you can add somebody who can rush, can drop, can set the edge in the run and get on-and off-blocks and set plays — anytime you get a playmaker like that — (it's) a good addition.”
Now add in a little on- and off-field wisdom from a guy who has stayed around the league like Ogbah, and maybe Braswell hits the stratosphere.
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