A new Pewter Report Roundtable debuts every Tuesday on PewterReport.com. Each week, the Pewter Reporters tackle another tough question. This week’s prompt: Which Bucs player must level up this offseason?

Scott Reynolds: It’s Time For Yaya Diaby To Reach His Full Potential

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

It would be easy for me to suggest that one of last year’s rookies, someone like Chris Braswell or Elijah Klein, needs to make a big jump this offseason the way that Cody Mauch did in his second year. But I’m going to look at a player going into his third season who must reach his full potential this offseason instead. That player is outside linebacker Yaya Diaby, who must become the alpha pass rusher this team needs him to be in 2025. Diaby finished 2024 as the highest-graded defender according to Pro Football Focus with a 76.7 grade and he was among the Top 10 edge rushers in the NFL with 65 pressures.

But Diaby’s sack total fell from 7.5 as a rookie to just 4.5 last year and he only had two sacks through the first 14 games of the season. Pressures are great, but sacks are better because they result in negative yardage. Sacks on third downs that lead to punts are even better. Diaby must work on his finishing moves this offseason to unlock his full potential and become the double-digit sacker he is destined to be.

I’m not a fan of Bucs outside linebacker George Edwards, who is more of an inside linebackers coach than he is pass rush coach. Edwards has never been a position coach in charge of edge rushers and I’m not sure he is the one to take Diaby’s game to the next level. So Diaby must use this offseason to work on his pass rush, whether that is hiring a pass rush coach or going to pro-level pass rush camps. He should also reach out to some of the game’s best retired pass rushers, such as former Bucs legend Simeon Rice for example, and fly out to work out with them and pick their brains.

Look at how Vita Vea chose to fly to Oregon to work out with Ndamukong Suh for a couple of weeks last offseason. Vea returned in the best shape of his career and had a Pro Bowl season as a result. It’s time for Diaby to follow suit. There is no guarantee that the Bucs will be successful in trading for an elite pass rusher this offseason or have success drafting one. So Diaby must take it upon himself to become that type of player for Tampa Bay this offseason instead.

Matt Matera: Graham Barton Can Bolster Bucs’ Line

Bucs C Graham Barton – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

It was a solid rookie season for Graham Barton at center. They were always going to be adjustments with him moving to center from left tackle, where he mostly played in college at Duke. Tampa Bay’s first-round pick had to get used to all of the calls that get made at the line along with learning how to deal with gigantic nose tackles in front of his face. That led to some holding penalties and inconsistent play, but the good far outweighed the bad during his rookie season.

Barton deserves a lot of credit for helping to turn around the Bucs’ run game. They were the fourth-best unit in the league averaging 149.2 rushing yards per game, and Bucky Irving was the first Tampa Bay running back to reach 1,000 rushing yards on the season in almost a decade. They’re off to a great start in Barton’s era at center, and year two could even be better.

The Bucs already have a top 5 offensive line, so just imagine how it could look after Barton has a full offseason workout schedule put together. Take a look at some of the Bucs’ offensive linemen as they went into year two. Luke Goedeke and Cody Mauch took big steps after they honed in their craft. There’s no reason that Barton can’t do the same and go even further. There’s an argument to be made that Barton is further ahead as a rookie than Goedeke and Mauch were in their first years. That means Barton’s second-year jump can be even better, too, making Tampa Bay’s offensive line potentially the best group in the league.

Bailey Adams: Elijah Klein Developing Into A Starter Would Be Huge

Bucs G Elijah Klein – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

When the Bucs spent a sixth-round pick on UTEP guard Elijah Klein during the 2024 Draft, there was a lot to like about his potential to develop into a future starter for Tampa Bay. His play strength and mobility certainly led to the belief that the run-blocking part of his game was a plus. It was really the pass protection aspect where he needed some growth. During last year’s preseason, there were some encouraging signs from the rookie.

That’s why this offseason could be huge for the second-year guard. Depending on what plays out with starting left guard Ben Bredeson in free agency, there could be an open spot along the Bucs offensive line. With a big offseason, Klein very well could step into that role. Of course, a big part of the growth and development he needs to do this offseason is continuing to adjust to playing on the left side of the line after playing right guard at UTEP. If he can do that and prove capable of being a starting NFL guard, the Bucs will be set with their offensive line for years to come.

If Klein can take a big leap this offseason like right guard Cody Mauch did from year one to year two (though Mauch did start as a rookie), it could give Tampa Bay an offensive line unit built for the future. Klein needs to hit the weight room hard and add more size and strength. The group is already strong and locked in at four of five spots, of course. Left tackle Tristan Wirfs is locked into a long-term deal, and right tackle Luke Goedeke soon should be as well.

Then, the interior could consist of a third-year guard in Mauch and two second-year players in center Graham Barton and Klein. That has to be an intriguing proposition for the Bucs, as Jason Licht will have rebuilt the offensive line over the course of just a few drafts.

Josh Queipo: Zyon McCollum Taking Another Step Would Help Back-Seven

Bucs CB Zyon McCollum and Panthers WR Adam Thielen – Photo by: USA Today

No one was hyping up cornerback Zyon McCollum last off-season more than I was. No one was taking victory laps when he came out of the gates hot to begin last season more than I was. Through the first quarter of the 2025 campaign McCollum looked like he was well on his way to cementing himself as a top 10 cornerback in the NFL. Over that time period he allowed just six catches on 16 targets. That’s a 37.5% catch rate allowed. He only ceded 57 yards, yielding an absurd 0.38 yards per coverage rep.

McCollum would end the season on a downswing. His catch rate allowed from Week 14 through the playoffs was 65.7% and he was giving up 1.59 yards per coverage rep. The overall body of his work in 2025 was solid. He’s 100% a starting-caliber corner. But for the defense to take another step forward they sure could use McCollum becoming a more consistent player. The high-end play is there. Only nine cornerbacks had more interceptions than he did last year. Only two had more pass breakups. Only three had more forced incompletions. McCollum was making plays on the ball.

But there were times where mental lapses would cause him to outright blow a coverage, be late to break on a route, get his head around too slowly, or just plain-old miss a jam that led to a big play downfield. If McCollum can maintain a playing level close to his ceiling in 2025, things look better for the rest of the defense. Antoine Winfield Jr. can hedge to the opposite side of the field and get back to his playmaking ways. The pass rush will have an extra beat or two to get to the quarterback. The defense will get better. All of that is contingent upon McCollum becoming the premier cornerback I know he can be.

Adam Slivon: Chris Braswell Is Already Facing A Make-Or-Break Year In 2025

Bucs OLB Chris Braswell – Photo by: Jeffrey Jones/PR

When looking at Bucs players that must level up this offseason, second-round pick Chris Braswell is near the top of the list. Considering Tampa Bay’s large offseason need at outside linebacker, Braswell is someone who – if he develops and makes strides – could seriously fight for playing time next season. With Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Anthony Nelson, and Shaq Barrett all pending free agents, Yaya Diaby is the only other starting-caliber pass rusher under contract. It would be welcome news to see Braswell grow entering his second season from a rotational piece to someone who can shoulder more of a load.

There is no question that the Bucs defense needs some reinforcements at every level. Tampa Bay’s defense floundered for much of the year, and the outside linebackers’ collective inability to take down the quarterback came back to bite them in the playoffs. Braswell played just 30% of the defensive snaps during his rookie year, playing all 17 games but finishing with just 18 total tackles, eight quarterback hits, and 1.5 sacks. There were flashes, and it looked like there was a time when he looked prime to breakout, but it failed to materialize.

Hope is not lost for the Alabama product, but the clock is quickly ticking. When looking at the draft, players like Marshall’s Mike Green or Boston College’s Donovan Ezeiruaku could be available at No. 19. Otherwise, one cannot rule out the possibility of trading for veterans Trey Hendrickson or Myles Garrett, who just requested a trade on Monday. In free agency, Khalil Mack would be someone who could step in for a season opposite Diaby. Regardless of whoever comes into the room, Chris Braswell will need to hit the weight room, improve his pass rush techniques and quickly rise up the depth chart – and rise to the occasion.