Robert Ayers
The veteran comes in to rush the passer, and that is exactly what he has to do.
We know the concerns of the past. Gerald McCoy was the guy to get the passer, and he didn’t have much help. With that, the Bucs had a problem getting a big sack when they needed one to close out a game. In order to eclipse the six-win mark, Jason Licht had to rebuild this area, and he did, with the first move being the signing of Robert Ayers.
Over the last three years, Ayers has been strong. Charting from his final year in Denver to his two seasons in New York with the Giants, he has never posted less than five sacks. In 2015, he put up a career high of nine sacks. He is just the influence that this defensive line needs.
Not only does Ayers need to put in a strong performance, but he also needs to be an influence on the young Noah Spence. Spence has the ability to put up sacks of his own as a rookie, and Ayers, combined with McCoy, need to help him find his way through year one.
Make no mistake, Ayers is going to be a key cog in the wheel here.
Next: The Punter