FAB 3. The Bucs’ Path To 50 Sacks In 2020

In Fab 2, Bucs reserve defensive tackle Rakeem “Nacho” Nunez-Roches talked about the team’s internal goal of reaching 50 sacks in 2020. Tampa Bay came close last year with 47 sacks, which was tied with New England and Jacksonville for seventh in the NFL last season. Pittsburgh led the league with 54 sacks in 2019, followed by Carolina with 53, New Orleans with 51, the Los Angeles Rams with 50, and San Francisco and Minnesota, which each had 48 a piece.

Bucs OLB Shaq Barrett – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Bucs’ 47 sacks in 2019 was the second-most in franchise history – ahead of the vaunted 1999 and 2002 Tampa Bay defenses, which each posted 43 sacks in those respective seasons. The team has only hit the 50-sack mark just once since its inception in 1976.

To put that number in perspective, NFC South rival Carolina, a franchise that has only been in existence since 1995, has five seasons in which the team hit at least 50 sacks, including 53 last season. The Panthers set a franchise record with 60 in 1996 and matched that number in 2013. Carolina posted 52 sacks in 2002 and 50 in 2017.

Tampa Bay’s team record is 55 sacks, which was set in 2000 when Hall of Fame defensive tackle Warren Sapp set a new franchise record with 16.5 sacks in a single season, which broke Lee Roy Selmon’s previous record of 14.5. Let’s analyze the 2000 Bucs to see how the 2020 Tampa Bay defense can rise to that level once again this season.

Bucs’ 55 Sacks In 2000

DT Warren Sapp 16.5
DE Marcus Jones 13
DT Booger McFarland 6.5
CB Ronde Barber 5.5
DE Chidi Ahanotu 3.5
OLB Shelton Quarles 2
DE Steve White 2
DE Tyoka Jackson 2
DT James Cannida 2
LB Derrick Brooks 1
SS John Lynch 1

A total of 11 different Buccaneers recorded sacks during the 2000 season, which is a rather large number considering that defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin wasn’t known for blitzing much and letting the pass rush come primarily from the front four. The team’s defensive line accounted for 45.5 sacks with 9.5 sacks coming from blitzes.

Legendary Bucs DT Warren Sapp – Photo by: Getty Images

Tampa Bay’s big names came through in a big way that year. The Bucs had 39 sacks from its starters that year and 16 sacks from reserves.

Like most teams that reach 50 sacks, two players account for around half of the sack total. The Bucs had two double-digit sackers in the same season for just the second time in franchise history with Sapp leading the way with 16.5 and Jones chipping in a career-high 13, including four in one game against Detroit. Sapp and Jones combined for 29.5 sacks that year.

Now let’s take a look at how Tampa Bay came close to hitting 50 sacks last year.

Bucs’ 47 Sacks In 2019

OLB Shaquil Barrett 19.5
OLB Jason Pierre-Paul 8.5
OLB Carl Nassib 6
ILB Devin White 2.5
DT Vita Vea 2.5
DT Ndamukong Suh 2.5
ILB Lavonte David 1
CB Sean Murphy-Bunting 1
S Mike Edwards 1
DE Will Gholston 1
OLB Sam Acho 1
DT Beau Allen 0.5

Twelve different Bucs defenders recorded a sack in 2019. That number is not much of a surprise as defensive coordinator Todd Bowles is known for bringing pressure from all over the field on blitzes. Yet of the team’s 47 sacks, only 5.5 came from positions that aren’t regularly called on to rush the passer, including inside linebacker, cornerback and safety.

Bucs NT Vita Vea – Photo by: Getty Images

The Bucs need more sacks from their reserves in 2020, as just 4.5 sacks came from reserves last season. The 2000 squad had nine defenders with at least two sacks, while the 2019 Bucs had just six players with more than one sack.

Barrett’s 19.5 sacks led the NFL and broke Sapp’s single-season record, and Pierre-Paul came close to hitting double digits too, as he notched 8.5 sacks in just 10 games. Barrett and Sapp combined for 28 sacks in 2019.

Where the 2020 Tampa Bay defense will run into problems is that Nassib, Acho and Allen, who combined for 7.5 sacks, departed via free agency. Acho was signed as a late-season injury replacement, while Allen was mostly a run-stuffer. The Bucs will miss Nassib’s presence the most, as he not only got to the quarterback six times last year, but did a good job of pressuring the quarterback and keeping him in the pocket, which resulted in sacks for Barrett and others.

Tampa Bay’s reserve outside linebackers, which include Anthony Nelson, Kahzin Daniels, Quinton Bell and other unproven players, have a collective zero sacks in their career. While Nunez-Roches has replaced Allen inside, he has just 1.5 sacks in his five-year NFL career and none in Tampa Bay outside of two preseason sacks last August.

Bucs linebackers Shaq Barrett and Devin White – Photo by: Getty Images

In order for the Bucs to reach 50 sacks in 2020, Barrett and Pierre-Paul need to combine for at least 28 sacks again, which is possible if they each have a double-digit sack season this year. Then the Bucs will need another defender to emerge to account for the sacks that Nassib provided. That could come from a player like Nelson, who will see a much bigger role this year, or an increased sack total from inside linebackers White and David, who combined for just 3.5 sacks last year.

Here’s a look at how Tampa Bay could once again hit the 50-sack mark this coming season.

Projected Bucs’ 50 Sacks In 2020

OLB Jason Pierre-Paul 15
OLB Shaquil Barrett 13
ILB Devin White 4
DT Vita Vea 4
ILB Lavonte David 3
DT Ndamukong Suh 2
OLB Anthony Nelson 2
CB Sean Murphy-Bunting 2
DE Will Gholston 1
S Jordan Whitehead 1
S Mike Edwards 1
DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches 1
DT Khalil Davis 1

Pierre-Paul and Barrett staying healthy is the key to hitting 50 sacks, as they once again combine for 28 in this projection. White and David double their combined sack output to seven sacks, while Vea, increases his sack production from 2.5 last year to four in 2020.

While the Bucs had just six players with more than one sack a year ago, Bowles’ unit is more experienced this season and a total of eight players reach double-digit sacks, including Nelson, who gets his first two career quarterback captures.

Bucs DC Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

It’s interesting to note that Bowles’ unit in Arizona during the 2013 season produced 47 sacks in his first year as the defensive coordinator, but regressed to just 35 sacks in 2014.

Will Tampa Bay’s defense suffer a similar slide if Barrett and Pierre-Paul can’t match last year’s sack output and the Buccaneers can’t replace Nassib’s production? Or was 2019 just a stepping stone for an even more ferocious Tampa Bay sack attack in 2020?

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