Bucs outside linebacker Yaya Diaby suffered a right knee injury with 6:32 left in the first quarter of Tampa Bay’s 16-0 win over Atlanta on Sunday when he was chop blocked by Falcons tight end Nick Muse. Diaby got up slowly and was seen flexing his knee while kneeling down and then he got up under his own power and left the field. After being diagnosed on the sidelines by team medical staff, Diaby did not return to action.

Bucs head coach Todd Bowles did not address Diaby’s injury after Tampa Bay’s win at Raymond James Stadium. Pewter Report has learned that Diaby will undergo an MRI on Monday to diagnose the severity of the injury.

Sources tell Pewter Report that the team is optimistic that it’s not a long-term injury and that Diaby might only miss a few games, but there is no certainty until he undergoes medical testing on Monday. If Diaby does wind up on injured reserve, the hope is that it would be short-term I.R. where he would only miss four games.

Bucs OLB Yaya Diaby – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

Sunday’s victory improved the Bucs’ record to 3-5 as the team moved into a tie for second place with the 3-5 Falcons, just half a game behind the 3-4 Panthers, who lost on Thursday night at Green Bay. The Bucs have won back-to-back games for the first time since defeating the Seahawks and 49ers in Weeks 5 and 6 last year.

Diaby had been instrumental in the Bucs’ win at Carolina last week with a career-high three sacks in the team’s 43-13 drubbing of the Panthers.

Who Will Replace Yaya Diaby In Bucs’ Starting Lineup?

Yaya Diaby hasn’t had an ideal start to his contract year after going without a sack in the first six games of the season before finally registering three at Carolina. Diaby did record a big interception in the team’s win at Dallas, the first of his career, and before Sunday’s game against Atlanta, he did record 16 tackles and was tied for the team lead with six tackles for loss.

Now with Diaby expected to miss at least a few weeks due to suffering a right knee injury in the win over the Falcons, head coach and defensive play-caller Todd Bowles will need to replace him in the starting lineup. Thankfully for Bowles, the Bucs’ defense is flush at outside linebacker this year.

Bucs OLB Yaya Diaby – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

General manager Jason Licht drafted Rueben Bain Jr. in the first round and is a starter. Licht upgraded the depth at outside linebacker with veteran Al-Quadin Muhammad, who has two sacks and a forced fumble on the season. David Walker, a fourth-round pick in 2024 who missed his entire rookie season due to a torn ACL, is back this year and playing incredibly well, leading Tampa Bay with four sacks and is tied with Diaby with six tackles for loss, in addition to 22 tackles.

Bowles could turn to either Muhammad or Walker to replace Diaby, but considering that Muhammad has been playing more on the left side as a rotational substitute for Bain and the fact that Walker has been a primary sub for Diaby on the right side, it will likely be the second-year edge rusher. And Walker deserves to start given his fantastic production this year as a reserve.

Bucs OLBs Rueben Bain Jr. and David Walker and Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

Bowles can also turn to longtime veteran Anthony Nelson, as the Bucs are truly five-deep at the outside linebacker position. Tampa Bay also has undrafted rookie free agent Yasir Holmes on the practice squad.