The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made it a priority to upgrade their pass rush this offseason.
They drafted Rueben Bain Jr. with their first-round draft pick, and signed Al-Quadin Muhammad in free agency, coming off an 11-sack season with the Detroit Lions.
Earlier this offseason, many in Bucs circles viewed Joey Bosa as a veteran presence that could further bolster the pass rush.
Behind Yaya Diaby, Bain, and Muhammad, Tampa Bay’s remaining pass rushers are David Walker, Anthony Nelson, and Chris Braswell.
Walker is a promising player, but he’s an unknown commodity, coming back from a torn ACL that ended his rookie season before it even began.
Nelson is a serviceable depth player that the team loves, recording at least 3.0 sacks in five consecutive seasons.
Braswell has been a massive bust, recording just 2.5 sacks in two seasons after being drafted as a second-round pick.
Bosa could’ve been a quality addition to the room as the fourth or even fifth string outside linebacker to challenge players like Nelson and Braswell for a roster spot. He’s recorded at least 5.0 sacks in seven out of his eight pro seasons.
With all of the investments they’ve already made at the position, the Bucs might not have even been interested in Bosa at this point in the offseason. Now, they likely won’t even get the chance to explore the option.
Joey Bosa is likely to retire from the NFL, ending slim chances he joins the Buccaneers
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Bosa’s career is likely coming to an end.
"It is more likely than not that Joey Bosa has played his last NFL down,” said Schefter.
Entering his age-31 season, with no shortage of injury concerns, Bosa isn’t the game wrecker he once was.
But he’s surely an upgrade over a player like Braswell, and potentially Nelson as well.
Good teams build their roster from the bottom up, and having a proven veteran like Bosa at the bottom of your depth chart is a good sign for the overall strength of the position.
A team simply can’t have too many disruptive pass rushers, allowing the rotation to stay fresh thanks to a full arsenal of players that can affect opposing quarterbacks.
But the Bucs appear happy with their in-house options. Diaby, Bain, Muhammad, Nelson, and Walker make for a solid five-deep rotation.
The Bucs haven’t been able to consistently generate pressure with their front four since 2021. That’s the last time the team had a player record double-digit sacks.
With all of the upgrades they’ve already made this offseason, Tampa Bay is primed to have their best pass rush in years.
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