The Bucs are hopeful that OLB Yaya Diaby can help lead a transitioning pass rush in 2024. With the departure of former league-sack leader Shaq Barrett and the absenteeism of free agent addition of Randy Gregory, Diaby and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka look to be the starting options for the team to begin the season.

Bucs OLB YaYa Diaby and ILB Devin White and Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Second-round draft pick Chris Braswell and 2023 undrafted free agent Markees Watts may have something to say about that by the end of training camp and the start of the regular season. But for now, Diaby is looking more and more like the player the Bucs will lean on most in 2024 from their edge group.

Yaya Diaby Had A Strong Finish To 2023 Season

After starting the 2023 season sluggishly as a pass rusher, Diaby hit his stride about midway through the year and finished strong as well.

Yaya Diaby Pressure Rate Wks 1 – 8: 4.30%
Yaya Diaby Pressure Rate Wks 9 – Div Rnd: 10.44%

Became more comfortable with using his RIP move more consistently. JAX game was probably his best. pic.twitter.com/O82NViFMur

— Joshua Queipo (@josh_queipo) June 17, 2024

Here is a graphical representation of his rolling three-game pressure rate for his rookie season.

You can see, from week nine through week 12 he was able to maintain a three-game pressure rate north of 12% before re-capturing that level of production from week 17 through the wild card round.

Diaby’s Improvements Last Year

Diaby’s power profile is real, and he has the ability to win on a bull rush. Early in the season that was really his only skill as a rusher, so the rip move towards the end of the season was a welcome adjustment that elevated his overall pass rush profile.

Yaya Diaby with that speed to power game! Wow! Landed those hands inside that chest plate and extending through as he keeps those legs churning. The potential is there! pic.twitter.com/XtXlRkHp7m

— RealBucsTalk (@RealBucsTalk) October 4, 2023

Later in the season you saw growth in his game as he added a consistent rip move to help him win the edge more often. You can see in the above clip that the rip was Diaby’s go-to move for most of his reps week 16 against Jacksonville. Once he had established that as a way to get free of tackles while trying to win the edge of the arc it allowed him to set up some inside counters and become a more consistent threat as an all-around edge defender.

Bucs OLB Yaya Diaby – Photo by: Cliff Welch P/R

Outside linebackers coach George Edwards spoke about Diaby’s growth last year in late April when speaking with the media. “I think, as he grew through the course of the season you saw his toolbox expand. Going into this offseason we have challenged him to increase his tools to use in his rush. I mean he was a guy who was so close to the tackle in college as a 5-technique and a 4-technique and now you put him in space.

“He’s real comfortable getting closer to people. So, his hand-to-hand combat, just increasing the work and production off of that. And being in space more to create more room for him to rush. All of those things are on the docket. And you saw him improve as the course of the year went on. And I think he’ll improve this offseason coming into this season and hopefully starting fast.

What Can Diaby Do To Level-Up in 2024?

With his rookie season in the rearview mirror, Yaya will need to continue to add additional moves/techniques to his repertoire if he wants to be considered a real force as a pass rusher. He still does not have a strong inside move such as a spin move or push-pull to help account for tackles who overset trying to guard their outside edge. To this point in his career, his best inside wins are on stunt/twist games that are schemed up for him.

Bucs OLB YaYa Diaby and Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Those inside moves can be improved with better hand fighting. Diaby is aware of that and has spoken about his handwork being a focal point of this offseason. When asked what he had been working on during mandatory minicamp last week Diaby said, “For me it was just the little things like hand placement. A lot of times I caught myself when I was watching film, I was high and played high. So, I’ve been keying in on playing low and having good hand placement.”

The hand placement will be a crucial opportunity for Diaby to improve in 2024. If he is able to strike early with his powerful punch, as he did in the Saints clip above, it will unlock him to become a more violent threat to tackles. With his 34″ arms and strong, powerful lower body he will have to be accounted for as someone who can come through the center of an offensive lineman on a straight bull rush. That can take the pressure off of him needing a quality inside move as he works to develop himself as a complete rusher.

The improved hand placement can also help him learn a swipe or double-swipe technique to go with his rip move on the outside. The added variety will only serve to force tackles to have to be prepared for more when facing the young pass rusher.

Yaya Diaby has room to grow in year two. And a plan to do it.