Pewter Report analyzes each position’s strengths and weaknesses in Tampa Bay, as the Bucs attempt to three-peat as NFC South champions.

Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
Offensive Line

Next up is Tampa Bay’s defensive line, which has gotten noticeably faster and younger, but also smaller and less experienced this offseason. Bucs head coach and defensive mastermind Todd Bowles wanted his unit to get quicker and more athletic this offseason, and the team didn’t re-sign defensive line starters Will Gholston or Akiem Hicks, both of whom are over the age of 30. Gholston and Hicks combined for just one sack last year.

Rakeem Nunez-Roches, the team’s backup nose tackle, left for more money with the New York Giants. So that’s half of last year’s defensive line that has departed Tampa Bay. The Bucs spent their first-round pick on defensive tackle Calijah Kancey just one year after spending their first selection on defensive tackle Logan Hall. Kancey and Hall are slated to start opposite nose tackle Vita Vea.

The Strength of Bucs DL: Speed and Athleticism

Bucs DT Logan Hall – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Bucs nose tackle Vita Vea made his first Pro Bowl in 2021 while helping the team to a franchise-record 13-4 season. Although he didn’t get the Pro Bowl nod last year, Vea recorded a career-high 6.5 sacks, which led Tampa Bay in that category, and added another one in the playoff loss to Dallas. Vea spent much of last year playing in the weakside B gap as a three-technique defensive tackle, but will likely go back to playing nose tackle with the arrival of first-round pick Calijah Kancey.

While Vea is the biggest defensive lineman in Tampa Bay, the 6-foot, 286-pound Kancey is clearly the smallest. Built in the mold of Aaron Donald, who also went to Pittsburgh, Kancey uses his elite speed and quickness to drive off the line of scrimmage and attack his gap. Kancey racked up 16.5 sacks in three years for the Panthers, including 14.5 the last two seasons. It’s tough for rookie defensive tackles to come in and make an immediate impact, but Kancey has elite tools and a high motor. He’ll see most of his reps as the three-technique, attacking the weakside B gap.

Logan Hall, the first overall pick in the second round in 2022, has added weight and muscle and is close to 300 pounds after playing last year as a situational player at 280 pounds. While he’s not as quick or agile as Kancey is, Hall is plenty athletic, especially for a 6-foot-6 defensive tackle. He only recorded 2.5 sacks last year but is poised to make a big jump due to his bigger frame and the experience he gained last year. Hall will likely replace Gholston in the starting lineup.

Bucs DT Greg Gaines – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The trio of Vea, Hall, and Kancey make Bowles’ 3-4 defensive front one of the most athletic in the league. After the starters, Greg Gaines was signed to replace Rakeem Nunez-Roches and serve as Vita Vea’s backup at nose tackle. Gaines and Vea played together in college at Washington and are happy to be reunited. Gaines is a tough guy who notched four sacks last year and is a better pass rusher than Nunez-Roches.

The final two roster spots are up for grabs, although stalwart Patrick O’Connor, who stars on special teams, seems like a lock for his help on fourth downs. Deadrin Senat, who saw some action last year as a backup nose tackle, is in the mix for the sixth spot on the depth chart. He’ll be competing with two practice-squaders from last year in Mike Greene and Willington Previlon.

Best-Case Scenario at DL

If Kancey and Hall can make big strides in 2023, the Bucs defensive line should be a much more productive pass-rushing unit. Vea doesn’t have to rack up six-plus sacks again if he’s creating opportunities for Hall and Kancey by drawing double-teams, but that type of production would certainly be welcome for a second-straight year.

The Weaknesses of Bucs DL: Lack of Size Outside Of Vea

Bucs DT Calijah Kancey – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Bucs decided not to re-sign Akiem Hicks and Will Gholston, but it leaves the defensive line without much size after 347-pound nose tackle Vita Vea. Hicks was close to 350 pounds and the 6-foot-6 Gholston weighed close to 315. Both old veterans had plenty of “grown man strength.” If Todd Bowles’ plan to get faster up front despite sacrificing some size backfires, it could leave the Bucs very susceptible to teams running the ball right at the interior of Tampa Bay’s defensive line.

The Bucs struggled to stop the run last year, with opponents getting to the edge of the defense because of the lack of speed along the defensive line. That likely won’t happen as much with the speed and pursuit ability of Calijah Kancey and Logan Hall. However, Kancey could be targeted in the run game by opponents due to his lack of ideal size.

Vea is the key to the Bucs’ defensive front. When he’s healthy, it’s a very formidable unit, and the attention he draws helps create better matchups for his counterparts along the defensive line. If he gets injured, the Bucs defensive line suddenly gets very small and very inexperienced. That could spell trouble for a team in transition like Tampa Bay.

Worst-Case Scenario at DL

Not only do the Bucs have to be concerned about keeping Vea, their lone proven star up front, healthy, but the team is also counting on rapid development from Hall in his second season, and a breakthrough performance from Kancey as a pass rusher. Yet Warren Sapp, Gerald McCoy, and Vea only recorded three sacks apiece as a rookie, so Kancey would have to buck a big Bucs trend among Pro Bowl defensive tackles.