The Tampa Bay Buccaneers actually had a pretty solid pass rush as a whole in 2024, as they ranked in the top 10 with 46 sacks. However, they didn’t have a single dominant pass rusher.
Calijah Kancey posted 7.5 sacks to lead the way, and Vita Vea finished with seven en route to his second Pro Bowl appearance. But clearly, none of the Buccaneers pass rushers approached double-digit sacks, and that’s a concern.
Tampa Bay also does not have a very good financial situation heading into free agency, as it will actually need to make some roster moves to get underneath the salary cap. However, the Bucs should be able to open up enough money to sign a couple of free agents.
One player that makes perfect sense for the Buccaneers to nab is New Orleans Saints edge rusher Chase Young.
Young finished with 31 tackles and 5.5 sacks this past year, rattling off 21 quarterback hits. So, in spite of his rather pedestrian sack total, it’s obvious that he was making an impact in getting to opposing signal-callers.
The 25-year-old is a former No. 2 overall pick and entered the NFL surrounded by considerable hype in 2020, and early on, he showed flashes of brilliance, making the Pro Bowl in his first season with the Washington Commanders. But injuries derailed much of his tenure with the Commanders, resulting in them trading him to the San Francisco 49ers midway through 2023.
Young then signed a one-year prove-it deal with the Saints last March, and now, he has positioned himself to land a multi-year contract.
The Ohio State product has managed to stay healthy each of the last couple of years, and with Tampa Bay sorely needing another pass rusher, Young—a potential breakout candidate—would represent a terrific addition.
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