Bucs outside linebacker Haason Reddick – Photo by: USA Today
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Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds answers your questions from the @PewterReport Twitter account this week in the Bucs Mailbag. Submit your question to the Bucs Mailbag each week via X using the hashtag #PRMailbag. Here are the Bucs questions we chose to answer for this week’s edition.
QUESTION: Does Haason Reddick play the same side as Yaya Diaby at defensive left edge (offensive strong side), and if so, what does this mean for each of them? Rotation or switching sides? Could the Bucs still be looking to add to the D-Line in addition to Reddick and Diaby?
Bucs OLB Haason Reddick – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
ANSWER: Bucs outside linebacker Yaya Diaby played a good amount of snaps last year on both sides of the line of scrimmage. He lined up on the left edge facing right tackles 265 times last year per Pro Football Focus and 445 times on the right side going up against left tackles. As for new outside linebacker Haason Reddick, he was asked what side of the ball he typically plays at his introductory press conference in Tampa Bay.
“It depends, depending on the game plan,” Reddick said. “Most of the time I line up on the defensive left [side] and the offensive right [side]. But there have been [times] where I’m moved around for a matchup here or there and just use my abilities to just win matchups. It’s all going to come down to game-planning.”
Last year in the 10 games Reddick played for the Jets he lined up 286 times on the left side going against right tackles and 95 times on the right side versus left tackles. But as Reddick said, he’s happy to play wherever Todd Bowles wants to line him up – on either side of the line. Bowles likes to create mismatches up front, which is why Diaby played a good amount on both sides of the line of scrimmage. The guess here is that Diaby continues to play two-thirds to three-fourths of the snaps at right outside linebacker while Reddick plays his more comfortable left side more often in 2025.
As for adding to the defensive line, I do think the Bucs are looking to add another edge rusher in the draft – just in case Chris Braswell, who had 1.5 sacks as a rookie, is more of a backup outside linebacker than he is eventual starting material. We had Boston College edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku at No. 19 in Pewter Report’s latest Bucs Mock Draft. I could also see Tampa Bay taking advantage of a very deep defensive tackle draft and selecting one of those too, as Logan Hall is entering a contract year.
QUESTION: Do you know what players are currently the highest on the Bucs’ draft board? Is Donovan Ezeiruaku the guy at No. 19 for sure?
Boston College edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku – Photo by: USA Today
ANSWER: No, I have no idea who is currently atop the Bucs’ draft board! Lol! Neither Jason Licht nor Todd Bowles will tell me! (Of course they never do.) I don’t know if Boston College edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku is the leading candidate to be picked with the No. 19 overall pick, but that’s who we have in our latest Bucs Mock Draft with two more versions to go in April. I think Haason Reddick would be a tremendous mentor to Ezeiruaku, who has a similar frame and playing style.
If Ezeiruaku isn’t there – or if the Bucs want to go in a different direction – I could see Georgia safety Malaki Starks possibly being considered. He has the ability to play either safety position in addition to nickelback – just like Tykee Smith. Starks and Smith were teammates with the Bulldogs, but Starks is a tick faster and more fluid. His versatility would give Todd Bowles three safety prospects that can switch positions in addition to Antoine Winfield Jr.
Alabama inside linebacker Jihaad Campbell and Georgia hybrid linebacker/edge rusher Jalon Walker could also be in consideration. I’m not sure Jason Licht has the appetite to draft another off-ball linebacker in the first round after drafting Devin White in the first round with the fifth overall pick in 2019. Especially with there being some good, talented linebackers that will be available in the middle rounds.
QUESTION: Why are so many people fine about the linebacker position? Lavonte David is 35 and already lost a step last year. SirVocea Dennis is always injured and Anthony Walker’s PFF grade is terrible. The Bucs’ coverage was terrible last year. What am I missing?
Bucs ILB Lavonte David and 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
ANSWER: I hear what you’re saying. Inside linebacker was a big weakness for Tampa Bay last year, and Lavonte David was a culprit at times in pass coverage. His play has slipped as he’s gotten older, but he’s still the most talented inside linebacker the Bucs have – not to mention the most experienced and the most respected leader on defense.
SirVocea Dennis is penciled in as a starter at Mike linebacker while David will play his familiar Money ‘backer role on the weak side of the defense. The Bucs are confident that Dennis’ surgically-repaired shoulder will hold up, and are encouraged by his 22 tackles and one sack in the first three and a half games of the 2024 season. There is a big risk with such a small sample size for sure, but if healthy, Dennis can be a real player. He had a career-high 11 tackles in Tampa Bay’s 21-16 win at Detroit in Week 2 and was on pace to wrest the starting job away from K.J. Britt.
Anthony Walker had a down year in Miami for sure. The PFF grade isn’t great, but it was actually slightly better than Britt’s was. Walker had a 48 overall grade with a 39.1 coverage grade, while Britt had a 45.5 overall grade from PFF and a 40.9 coverage grade. But Walker’s PFF grades the previous year in Cleveland in 2023 – 71.1 overall and 76.8 in coverage – were higher than Britt’s best grades, which also came in 2023. Britt had a 70.5 overall grade and a 64.4 coverage grade. Walker is a faster, more athletic inside linebacker than Britt is, and he has 4.65 speed compared to Britt, who timed 4.75 in the 40-yard dash coming out of Auburn.
The Bucs also have veteran Deion Jones on the roster as well, re-signing him to a cheap, one-year deal after he spent half the season on the practice squad and played a significant amount of snaps in the Wild Card loss to Washington. But look for Tampa Bay to draft a linebacker on Day 2 or early Day 3 to add another young defender to the mix to challenge Dennis this year and possibly replace David in 2026.
QUESTION: Everyone is focused on the defense, as they should be. But who is one guy that makes an immediate impact as a kick returner? We have struggled since TV was black and white in the return game. Could this year be the year we find a weapon in the return game?
Bucs RB Sean Tucker – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
ANSWER: Sean Tucker showed well as the team’s kick returner last year. He averaged an impressive 29.3 yards per kick return average with a long of 53 yards at Atlanta in Week 5 and would appear to be in the driver’s seat for that lead role in 2025. Bucky Irving was also a kick returner until he ascended to the role as the team’s starting running back late in the season. That also coincided with a hip injury he sustained returning a kickoff right before halftime in Tampa Bay’s overtime win at Carolina. Running back Rachaad White replaced Irving on kickoffs later in the season.
Head coach Todd Bowles likes to use running backs as kick returners because of their ability to read holes as they open up as well as break tackles. But second-year wide receiver Kameron Johnson could factor into the kick return equation in 2025 if he makes the team. Johnson has speed and elusiveness that could make him an ideal candidate.
The Bucs could also draft a player with return ability. One of the players that the team had a formal interview with was Virginia Tech wide receiver and kick returner Jaylin Lane. The 5-foot-10, 191-pound Lane only averaged 21.8 yards per kick return for the Hokies, but he did return two punts for touchdowns, in addition to averaging 10.9 yards per return. Lane was one of the fastest players at the NFL Scouting Combine with a 4.34 time in the 40-yard dash and he showed off a 40-inch vertical leap, too.
QUESTION: What kind of offense can we expect with our new O.C?
Bucs OC Josh Grizzard – Photo by: Adam Slivon/PR
ANSWER: The good news with the promotion of Josh Grizzard from Bucs pass game coordinator to offensive coordinator is that there should be a significant amount of continuity on offense in 2024. Grizzard was hired by former offensive coordinator Liam Coen and was praised for his high football I.Q. and his inventive style when it came to pitching plays in the offensive meetings.
The Bucs led the league on third down conversions last year, converting over 50%. Grizzard was responsible for installing the team’s plays on third downs from third-and-short to third-and-medium to third-and-long. Despite not having any play-calling experience, Grizzard will be prepared for the start of the season thanks to Todd Bowles, who has already been through this once before with Dave Canales in the 2023 season.
Despite being Tampa Bay’s pass game coordinator last year, Grizzard said he does want to continue to emphasize the running game and to feature Bucky Irving. Having the offensive line return intact with the re-signing of left guard Ben Bredeson will go a long way towards achieving that goal.
If there was one element that Grizzard wants to improve it’s the downfield passing game. He wants to see Baker Mayfield take more vertical shots in 2025 and also incorporate the team’s running backs, who are all capable receivers, on more vertical routes – not just swing passes and screens.
