Like millions of Americans, the Bucs will be watching Super Bowl LVI between Cincinnati and Los Angeles. But the reason why Tampa Bay’s personnel department will be keeping a keen eye on the action is that both the Rams and the Bengals have a pair of potential free agents that the Bucs might be interested in next month. Let’s see who the Bucs could be scouting for free agency.

Bengals DT B.J. Hill – 6-3, 303
2021 Salary: $1,011,970

After three non-descript seasons in New York, the Giants traded Hill to Cincinnati where he has flourished next to D.J. Reader. Hill is a run-stuffing defensive tackle that is emerging as a pass rusher. He has 13 career sacks, including 5.5 sacks this season. Hill also had 50 tackles, six tackles for loss and 12 QB hits this season in a breakout year.

Bengals DT B.J. Hill – Photo by: USA Today

Against Kansas City in the AFC Championship Game, Hill had five tackles, half a sack and a key interception. He also had a sack against the Raiders in the first round of the playoffs. Hill, who had 70.4 Pro Football Focus grade this year, turns 27 in April, and his arrow is pointing up.

The Bucs could use a younger defensive tackle to pair with Vita Vea, especially if Steve McLendon and Ndamukong Suh don’t return. McLendon, who is 36, is expected to retire. There’s a chance Suh, 35, might want to play another season. But it might be time to get younger at defensive tackle, and this year’s draft class has only a few Bucs fits in it at the position.

DT Larry Ogunjobi – 6-4, 305
2021 Salary: $6.4 million

Ogunjobi has been a bit of a disappointment in Cincinnati. Hill has been the better acquisition, but that could mean that Ogunjobi will be a free agent in 2022 if the Bengals opt to re-sign Hill. Ogunjobi won’t be playing in the Super Bowl as a foot injury landed him on injured reserve on January 17.

While he hasn’t been the stout run defender that Hill and Reader have been inside, Ogunjobi has recorded a career-high seven sacks this season, in addition to 49 tackles, 16 QB hits and 12 tackles for loss. Ogunjobi, who turns 28 in June, spent his first four years in Cleveland where he had a pair of back-to-back 5.5-sack seasons in 2018-19.

If the Bucs want to add a player with more quickness and pass rush ability to the defensive line, Ogunjobi would be a good option. The big question is whether he’s a good enough run defender to play in Tampa Bay. Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles puts an emphasis on defensive tackles being run-stuffers. Ogunjobi, a former third-round pick, had a 50.4 PFF grade, which was dragged down due to a 39 run defense grade.

Rams RB Sony Michel – 5-11, 215
2021 Salary: $2,406,674

Rams RB Sony Michel – Photo by: USA Today

The Rams traded for the Patriots’ former first-round pick earlier this year when Cam Akers was out due to an Achilles injury. He’s racked up 3,137 yards and 18 TDs while averaging 4.2 yards per carry. But after a pair of 900-yard seasons to start his New England career, Michel fell out of favor with Bill Belichick after foot and quad injuries.

During his rookie season, Michel rushed for 129 yards and three touchdowns against the Chargers, while averaging 5.4 yards per carry. In the AFC Championship Game, Michel ran for 113 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries (3.9 avg.). In Super Bowl LIII against the Rams, Michel ran for 94 yards and scored the game’s only touchdown in a 13-3 Patriots win.

Michel, who turns 27 next week, has 845 yards and four touchdowns on 208 carries (4.1 avg.) in Los Angeles. He’s caught 21 passes for 128 yards (6.1 avg.) and a touchdown. Michel ran for 67 yards against Tampa Bay in Week 3, but was held to just four yards on one carry by the Bucs in the playoffs. If the Bucs don’t re-sign Leonard Fournette in free agency, Michel could be an attractive, low-cost option to compete for carries and to play on third down.

Rams OLB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo – 6-1, 253
2021 Salary: $683,634

There’s a good chance that Okoronkwo stays with the Rams. After all, the team has a fifth-round pick invested in him. He’s an undersized situational pass rusher that only fits a 3-4 defense – not a 4-3 scheme. The former Oklahoma product had 20 sacks, 33 tackles for loss and five forced fumbles in college. He broke his foot during his rookie season, so he’s only played in three seasons in the NFL.

Okoronkwo, who turns 27 in April, has 4.5 career sacks, including two sacks this year. He also has a career-high 15 tackles, three tackles for loss and two forced fumbles as a reserve. Okoronkwo has a 79.2 Pro Football Focus grade this year in 250 snaps. Is Okoronkwo another version of Cam Gill? Or could he be a diamond in the rough like Shaquil Barrett was in 2019? Like Barrett was in Denver, Okoronkwo has been buried on the depth chart. He’s played behind Leonard Floyd and Von Miller this year and Floyd, Samson Ebukam and Justin Hollins last year.

Okoronkwo, who has seen his playing time rise down the stretch, played 17 snaps against the Bucs. He registered two tackles, a QB hit and a pass defensed versus Tampa Bay. If Jason Pierre-Paul isn’t re-signed, Okoronkwo could compete with Anthony Nelson and Cam Gill for more playing time behind Barrett and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka.