Bucs outside linebacker Yaya Diaby had seven sacks to once again lead the team in that defensive category. Diaby’s 7.5 sacks were the most in Tampa Bay during the 2023 season, which was Diaby’s rookie campaign.

If it seemed like Diaby was the only one effectively rushing the passer at times, you aren’t alone in thinking that.

Diaby felt that way, too.

“I’m going to speak for myself first, and I feel like I could have done more,” Diaby said. “Injuries played a big part in that – not having Calijah [Kancey] beside me. Just not being where we need to be and what we were in camp going into this season. It just didn’t correlate. I feel like with the pass rush, we’ve got to just get guys who are hungry, man. I feel like sometimes I’m out there by myself. That’s how I feel.”

Defensive tackle Calijah Kancey wound up leading the Bucs in sacks in 2024 with a career-high 7.5 last year as Todd Bowles’ defense produced a total of 46 sacks in 2024. This year without Kancey for all but three games, the Bucs recorded only 37 sacks – the lowest in the Bowles era since he arrived as defensive coordinator in 2019.

After Diaby, defensive tackle Vita Vea was next on the team with just 4.5 sacks. Veteran edge rusher Haason Reddick, who signed a one-year, $14 million deal as a splash free agent signing, was a huge disappointment. Reddick notched just 2.5 sacks, which ranked fifth on the team. Anthony Nelson, Reddick’s backup, had three sacks in 2025.

As he was cleaning out his locker on Monday following the end Tampa Bay’s disappointing 8-9 season, Diaby was clearly frustrated with the team’s pass rush. Without naming names, Diaby said that the Bucs defense didn’t have enough “hungry guys” rushing the passer in 2025.

Bucs OLB Yaya Diaby – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“That has to change,” Diaby said. “Everybody would look at my stat line and say, ‘Oh he could have done more.’ But football is a team sport. Everybody plays a key role in everything we do. If guys come back next year healthier, and whatever the Glazers do and the G.M. does this offseason to get whoever we need – I’m all for it. I just want to win.”

Diaby was also critical of the Bucs having too many walk-through practices under Bowles last year, which led to some performance problems on the field as a result.

Yaya Diaby Said Players Not Buying In, Not Giving Their All Led To Problems For Bucs

Yaya Diaby said that the Bucs need to find players this year who will buy in to the scheme and their roles on the team. If that happens, the defense can take a step forward. If it doesn’t, Todd Bowles’ defense could continue to struggle.

“Being here for three years, I feel like this defense can be special, but I feel like guys need to be bought in from the get-go – from start to finish,” Diaby said. “It’s like when Coach Bowles says some guys don’t know their role or are not excited for their role. I feel like when guys know their role and know what to expect with the standard, I feel like we’ll be just fine.”

Bucs OLB Haason Reddick – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

One of those players who is bought in is defensive tackle Calijah Kancey, who along with Diaby, is team’s best pass rusher up front. Not having Kancey for 14 games this season not only hurt Tampa Bay’s pass rush, but also negatively impacted the energy and leadership on defense.

“It impacted us a lot,” Diaby said. “Calijah brings a different type of hunger. He uplifts everybody, especially when it comes to pass rush. Him not being there, a lot of guys I feel like they took a step back – it felt laxed. Like I told you earlier, it feels like I was just out there by myself. It was just a lot. A healthier Calijah and whoever is on the other side of me come next year, I’m happy and ready to see it.”

On film, outside linebackers Haason Reddick and Chris Braswell were disappointing, as was defensive tackle Logan Hall at times. Hall started in place of Kancey during his absence for most of the season and recorded just 1.5 sacks. He has underwhelmed since being the No. 33 overall pick and not lived up to that draft status. Hall will be a free agent in March and is not expected to be re-signed.

Reddick was a bust of a signing and won’t return in 2026. There are no assurances that Braswell will make the roster this season as he enters his third year in the NFL.

Bucs OLB Chris Braswell and DT Logan Hall – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Diaby led the team in QB pressures again with 62, per Pro Football Focus, followed by Vita Vea’s 51 along with 4.5 sacks. Reddick was third on the team with 34 pressures, followed by Hall with 32. Braswell, a former second-round pick, had 15 QB pressures in a very disappointing second season in Tampa Bay.

“That all comes with guys being bought in,” Diaby said. “You can point fingers at everybody. We’re the guys out there and fighting. It can be a good [defensive] call, or it can be a bad call. But we, as players, we have to do what we’re coached to do. And I feel like that took a step down.”

Expect the Bucs’ offseason emphasis to be upgrading the talent along the defensive front and pursuing a top-notch edge rusher to replace Reddick and pair with Diaby as well as fortifying the depth at defensive tackle by replacing Hall and others.