The Bucs decided to move on from Greg Gaines and Logan Hall in favor of A’Shawn Robinson for 2026. Gaines, who is 6-foot and 313 pounds and Hall who is under 300 pounds were both a bit undersized for their roles within the Bucs offense over the past few years. At six-feet-four-inches and 320 pounds, Robinson is anything but undersized. And that leads to his best trait.

A’Shawn Robinson Helps The Run Game

The Bucs were one of the best run defenses in the NFL on first down last year. That’s common under head coach Todd Bowles’ leadership. But on second down they fell all the way to 26th. By second down the Bucs move more often to nickel personnel, pulling an interior defensive lineman for a defensive back. Some of that had to do with Gaines being their best backup nose tackle. With Robinson the team should get an upgrade in that department.

When he manages his pad level, Robinson is a stout run defender who can corrupt rushing lanes, absorb double teams and generally make life difficult for offensive linemen and running backs alike.

Since 2020, he has posted a run stop rate north of 10% in all but one season. Last year, his 10.4% run stop rate was tied for ninth-best among all qualifying interior defensive linemen, per Pro Football Focus.

His length and mass make him a challenge against gap runs, where he can be difficult to move due to a strong anchor. He can also flip his hips to catch opponents leaning into their blocks to quickly slip them and create havoc in the backfield.

A’Shawn Robinson (#94) feeling the lean from the guard and flipping his hips to slip the block and get in the backfield. pic.twitter.com/NpG3XRj06S

— Josh Queipo (@JoshQueipo_NFL) March 15, 2026

For his size he can move laterally quite well, applying quick feet and a good lean. And when he times up his impressive upper body strength when a back tries to cut back on him it can lead to high-end plays.

A’Shawn Robinson (#94) feeling the lean from the guard and flipping his hips to slip the block and get in the backfield. pic.twitter.com/NpG3XRj06S

— Josh Queipo (@JoshQueipo_NFL) March 15, 2026

Pad Level/Decision Making And Getting Into Trouble

After ten years in the NFL, Robinson is what he is at this point. He has never developed a consistently low pad level. And that’s what leads to his worst reps as both a run defender and as a pass rusher. His height can work against him when he gets too upright, negating his strong lower half and leading to him getting pushed around. He also struggles using his length to his advantage all the time. Too often he ends up in close quarters allowing opponents to get into his chest. If he extended his impressive 34.5-inch arms more often he could control interactions and dominate consistently.

Bucs DT A’Shawn Robinson – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Bob Donnan

Robinson keeps his eyes in the backfield and will attempt to make plays on the ball. It’s a big reason why he’s towards the top of the tackle leaderboards for defensive tackles year over year. But the downside of that is that he can take risks that can distort the entire scheme. He will try and abandon his gaps from time to time to flow with a ball carrier, and if that back can make another cut it can lead to big gains for the offense.

Robinson As A Pass Rusher

If you look at his pass rushing metrics, Robinson might look like a value add in that area of the game. He was tied for 36th within his position group in pressures last year with 36. But his 7.8% pass rush win rate (tied for 66th) is more indicative of his actual contributions.

Watching A’Shawn Robinson’s pressures from last year and let’s just say not all pressures are created equally pic.twitter.com/fK9aMF098K

— Josh Queipo (@JoshQueipo_NFL) March 14, 2026

Against the pass there are two things he does well: Weaponize his size and power and deflect passes. He has six pass deflections in the last three years as he uses his active eyes and long arms to get into passing windows. But when he’s working at his best, he takes advantage of smaller linemen, walking them back and condensing the pocket.

Best pass rush rep I have found so far. Pure power, doesn’t give up on the rep. Doesn’t lose contain. pic.twitter.com/CJmX6EnVMS

— Josh Queipo (@JoshQueipo_NFL) March 14, 2026

He’s primarily a one-trick pony, but the trick is a solid one that can be a big part of the gameplan against specific opponents. His size also comes in handy as a stunter to help give cleaner releases for teammates – something Todd Bowles does often. As a part of the pass rush plan, Robinson can be a net neutral to a small positive.

Bucs DT A’Shawn Robinson – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Jim Dedmon

As a complete player, Robinson is a step up from Gaines and Hall. He’s a better all-around contributor than Gaines and a much better backup nose tackle to Vita Vea. Compared to Hall, he’s a step down as a pass rusher, although probably a more consistent outcome, and a better run defender. The Bucs can use him at the 1 or heads up as at the nose and work on base defenses as the 3 or the 5 giving the team a lot of options. He’s a strong upgrade to the floor of the room and should help Calijah Kancey and Elijah Roberts get used to their fullest potential.