Buccaneers draft bust is running out of chances to save his career

Training camp is on the horizon for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and there are plenty of storylines and position battles to watch. 

For one player, it’s the last chance to stand out and save his roster spot. 

Chris Braswell enters Buccaneers training camp on the roster bubble

The Buccaneers drafted Chris Braswell in the second round back in 2024, and through two seasons, he looks like a bust. 

He’s totaled 2.5 sacks and 5.0 tackles for loss through two seasons, and chances are slim that he’ll blossom into the impactful pass rusher the Buccaneers once thought he could be. 

While it’s only been two seasons, and Braswell is still just 24 years old, the Bucs can’t afford to be patient. Tampa Bay is in win-now mode with jobs on the line in 2026.

The front office made it a priority to bolster the pass rush rotation this offseason, and the new additions could leave Braswell on the outside looking in.

The Buccaneers drafted Rueben Bain Jr. with their first-round pick and signed Al-Quadin Muhammad in free agency. Those two, along with Yaya Diaby, appear to be locked into the first three spots on the depth chart.

Tampa Bay is also looking forward to the return of David Walker, who missed his rookie season with a torn ACL. Walker was making a strong impression last offseason prior to his injury, and the organization remains very high on him. 

If the Bucs choose to keep only five outside linebackers on the 53-man roster, as they did last year, the final spot on the depth chart could come down to a battle between Braswell and Anthony Nelson, who has recorded at least 3.0 sacks in five consecutive seasons. 

Nelson is a steady veteran presence that the team values, having been in Tampa Bay since 2019. Braswell faces an uphill battle to leapfrog Nelson on the depth chart.

Without a sudden breakout from Braswell during training camp and the preseason, he’s in real danger of being placed on the chopping block.

Really, the only thing working in his favor is his status as a second-round pick, which could make the Bucs reluctant to move on so quickly from a major investment. 

But Jason Licht hasn’t been afraid to admit his mistakes in the past and move on from draft busts when it becomes clear they won’t play a significant role in the team’s present or future. 

Braswell can still change the narrative surrounding his career, but time is quickly running out.

Competition in Tampa Bay’s outside linebacker room is stiffer than it's ever been during his tenure, making this training camp a true now-or-never opportunity to secure his future with the Buccaneers.

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