While none of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' starters played in Saturday's preseason opener, we did get a good look at a handful of young players looking to make an impact. One of those players was second-year pass rusher Chris Braswell, but not too many fans liked what they saw.
Braswell finished the night with four tackles, but overall, fans seemed to be down on his performance. The lack of pressure wasn't exactly reassuring given how badly the Bucs need their pass rush to improve which magnified some of the situations where Braswell seemed to be a few steps behind Cam Ward and other Titans quarterbacks all night.
#Bucs OLB Chris Braswell is getting some extended work into the third quarter ... and has not looked great rushing the passer. Rough night for No. 43.
— PewterReport 🏴☠️ (@PewterReport) August 10, 2025
Not everyone was down on him, though.
While speaking with the media and assessing how things went against the Titans, head coach Todd Bowles took time to defend Braswell.
"No disappointment at all," Bowles said. "He was very physical at the point of attack. We thought he got off the ball. The ball was coming out quick. One or two of his rushes could be more speed-to-power, but everything else he did was good."
Chris Braswell has plenty of time to find his groove and help the Buccaneers pass rush
It's still early in the preseason and right now that's all the endorsement Braswell really needs. Bowles doesn't give up on guys quickly, which means with two preseason games left and a month of training camp there's plenty of time for Braswell to turn things up a few notches and really get into gear.
The Bucs are going to need him to do that, too. Last season the pass rush left a lot to be desired and was downright fatal in late-game situations. Not getting hands on the quarterback led to opposing teams mounting comebacks and Tampa Bay losing a whopping five one-score games.
It's a big reason Haason Reddick was brought in during free agency but the Bucs have known this is a problem long before that. Braswell was drafted to help refresh the pass rush with young talent which is why fans are being so harsh on him after one game.
Bowles doesn't seem to be concerned, and the lack of reps for Braswell last year likely played a factor in his sluggish start as well. That seems to suggest he merely has some rust to shake off, which is why there will be even more eyes on the young pass rusher over these next two preseason games.
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