A new Pewter Report Roundtable debuts every Tuesday on PewterReport.com. Each week, the Pewter Reporters tackle another tough question. This week’s prompt: Who needs to step up the most on defense for the Bucs?

Scott Reynolds: Tampa Bay Needs More Big Plays From Yaya Diaby

Bucs OLB Yaya Diaby and DT Calijah Kancey – Photo by: USA Today

While the sacks haven’t been there like we’ve all expected for Yaya Diaby this season the second-year Bucs outside linebacker has improved as a player. He’s the third-highest ranked defender in Tampa Bay according to Pro Football Focus with a 76.3 grade, and he’s the highest-graded Bucs defensive lineman. In fact, Diaby has the highest pass rush grade on the team at 77.8. His 46 pressures are 13 more than Vita Vea’s 33, and Diaby ranks No. 11 in the league among edge rushers in QB pressures.

The only thing missing are the sacks, as Diaby has just two on the year compared to 7.5 last year when he led Tampa Bay as a rookie. But Diaby was actually a worse pass rusher last year with just 30 pressures and a 56 PFF pass rush grade. Simply put, Diaby is doing everything but getting the quarterback on the ground with more regularity. He even had a pressure that resulted in a Kirk Cousins interception in the fourth quarter at Atlanta back in Week 5.

But Diaby is capable of producing more sacks – and splash plays. He had a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries last year and has one forced fumble and a big fumble recovery this year, which came in overtime in Sunday’s win at Carolina. With five games left, Diaby needs to produce a few more game-changing plays, such as a drive-killing sack on third down or take part in a takeaway with either a forced fumble or a fumble recovery. Big-time players show up in big moments and perhaps Diaby is saving his best for last during Tampa Bay’s playoff push. At least that’s the hope, right?

Matt Matera: Bucs Need Vintage Lavonte David And Help From Other ILBs

Bucs ILB Lavonte David and 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

It’s not a secret anymore that the weakness of the Bucs defense has been at inside linebacker. It’s not the fault of legendary team captain Lavonte David, but more of who’s playing next to him in K.J. Britt. With Britt getting injured last game and his status unknown, the responsibilities may fall on J.J. Russell or former practice squader Vi Jones.

This isn’t really fair to the 33-year old David, who has saved the Bucs time and again throughout his career in Tampa, but he may have to do it one more time. The problem is, while David is still solid as an inside linebacker, he doesn’t have playmaking speed like he used to. That’s naturally going to fade as players get older in the NFL. So David will have to rely on his instincts.

Can we get a vintage performance or two from Lavonte David down the stretch? The one that creates big time turnovers and takes on the opponent’s best tight end? It’s certainly possible, and the Bucs defense needs it. They have been gouged by opposing tight ends frequently this season from Kyle Pitts to Travis Kelce to Mark Andrews and others. It won’t get easier facing the Raiders’ Brock Bowers this weekend. If David and the combination of Russell and Jones don’t find a way to make a splash, it may end the Bucs’ playoff chances.

Bailey Adams: Bucs Could Use 2023 Antoine Winfield Jr. Right Now

Bucs FS Antoine Winfield Jr. – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Bucs could use a little more from just about every player on their defense, but what’s perhaps most important is that the stars need to be stars. Antoine Winfield Jr. may be the prime example of that. It’s not that he’s having a bad 2024 season, but as a follow-up to his All-Pro 2023 season? He hasn’t been able to replicate what he did a year ago — and he hasn’t exactly gotten close to it. Seeing more of the 2023 Winfield down the stretch would be a huge development for Tampa Bay.

Last year, Winfield was a one-man game wrecker. He finished the year with 122 tackles (76 solo), six sacks, three interceptions, 12 passes defensed, four fumble recoveries and a league-leading six forced fumbles. Replicating those numbers in 2024 was always going to be a tough ask, but there’s been a pretty significant drop-off. The early-season injury certainly didn’t help matters, but right now over eight games, he has 60 tackles (34 solo), 2.0 sacks, zero interceptions, three passes defensed, one fumble recovery and zero forced fumbles.

It shouldn’t have to all be on Winfield’s shoulders, of course. But the splash plays rarely came from anyone else last year and they certainly haven’t been coming from anyone else all that much this year either. There are deeper-rooted problems with Tampa Bay’s defense, but the All-Pro play of Winfield covered some of those issues up last year. The lack of splash plays is leaving the Bucs more vulnerable this year, and they sure could use a run of them from their franchise safety over the final five games.

Josh Queipo: Tykee Smith’s Return Could Be Needed Boost

Bucs DB Tykee Smith – Photo by: USA Today

Whatever voodoo the Bucs have come under that doesn’t let them go three quarters without losing a defensive back to injury needs to stop quickly. Every time the team is in a position to try out a dime look on long and late downs, they lose yet another safety or cornerback. This past week, newly reacquired safety Mike Edwards fell to a hamstring injury and the team had to finish the game with Tavierre Thomas at nickel while kicking Christian Izien to safety.

Tykee Smith, who was having a fantastic rookie campaign before a knee injury sidelined him in recent weeks was starting to make big plays. And the Bucs will need those big plays to help offset for coverage issues that aren’t likely to go away any time soon. Smith had three forced fumbles and one interception in his last four games. If he can keep that penchant for turnovers up, it could just be the boost the defense needs to help offset the issues in coverage that aren’t likely to go away any time soon.

The Bucs had similar coverage issues last year but were able to overcome those just enough through a bonkers turnover season from Antoine Winfield Jr. in 2023. Smith, by virtue of playing in the slot will see a healthy number of those opportunities working against slot receivers while dropping into middle of the field zones. His return, hopefully paired with the return of Edwards will also, maybe…. just maybe, be able to actually try some dime defense to improve their down-to-down performance against the pass.

Adam Slivon: Jamel Dean Needs To Make Plays Down The Stretch

Bucs CB Jamel Dean – Photo by: Cliff Welch P/R

Plenty of players across the Bucs’ defense must step up down the stretch, but none need to do so more to secure their future in Tampa Bay than Jamel Dean. Dean has been a secondary staple since being a third-round pick in 2019. He developed into a star and had his strongest season in 2022, parlaying that into a four-year deal worth $52 million. Since his second contract, he has not been completely disappointing, but his play his fell from those heights.

While Dean remains a solid coverage cornerback, he has not recorded an interception since Week 2 of that 2022 season. September 18th, 2022. That’s a long time without coming away with the football. He has not been a liability when he’s on the field, but that is also a known issue. He missed a month of football earlier this season and there is seemingly always a concern about his availability for a prolonged stretch of time. When looking across the league, there is a volatility of the top cornerbacks having down years and it’s hard for a cornerback to stay at the top of his game year in and year out.

That’s what makes the Bucs’ final stretch so important for Dean. If he is able to elevate his play, come away with an interception or two, and stay healthy, there is no doubt that he would remain in Tampa Bay in 2025. But should he falter or get injured, that not only poses a problem for a secondary that has disappointed, but for the team’s highest-paid cornerback and its longest-tenured player. Dean’s popular phrase is, “Don’t make a scene, it’s just Jamel Dean,” but he and the defense need him to make a scene and contribute more than just making tackles when the ball is already in the hands of an opposing wide receiver.