Check out five veteran edge rushers who could make an immediate impact and help the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers needed help defensively, and perhaps nowhere is this more evident than on the edge.
Yaya Diaby had a successful fourth season, leading the team with seven sacks.
But aside from him, the Bucs didn't get much from their pass rush.
Tampa thought it had an answer last season when it signed Haason Reddick, but Reddick only produced 2.5 sacks, and now is expected to enter the free-agent market.
As the year-round NFL calendar nears free agency, which opens March 11, we will take a closer look at position needs for Tampa Bay. The first installment looked at 5 Realistic Linebacker Targets for the Bucs.
In this edition, we'll examine five realistic free-agent options that could give the Buccaneers more return on investment, starting with the least likely scenario.
No. 5: Odafe Oweh
Oweh checks a lot of boxes for the Bucs.
Head coach/defensive coordinator Todd Bowles loves to blitz, and Oweh is an excellent pass rusher, finishing with 7.5 sacks, which would have led the Bucs in 2025, and posting three sacks in the Los Angeles Chargers' playoff loss to the New England Patriots.
All of those are reasons for the Bucs to consider signing Oweh. But there are two obstacles:
- Oweh's projected market value is projected at nearly $58 million over three years , according to Spotrac, and the Bucs aren't known for giving out long-term deals to free agents.
- The Chargers have the fourth most available cap space in the league.
Oweh would make a lot of sense for the Bucs, but it's hard to see L.A. letting him walk.
No. 4: Joey Bosa
If the Bucs don't get Bosa, affordability won't be the reason.
The Bucs signed Reddick to a one-year, $14 million contract last offseason, and although Bosa is projected to get a two-year deal, he'd be making slightly less money annually -- $13.7 million -- than Reddick did with the Bucs.
The Buffalo Bills are 25th out of 32 teams in cap room, so Bosa is likely to be looking for work elsewhere. He'll be 31 in July, but just came off the most productive -- and healthiest -- season he's had since 2021, posting 54 QB pressures and leading the league with five forced fumbles.
Bosa's last contract was for one year on a "prove-it" deal. Would the Bucs be able to live with giving him an extra year?
No. 3: Von Miller
The Bucs could probably afford Miller, who's projected to get a one year, $5.8 million contract, but they wouldn't be getting him as a long-term solution.
What the Bucs could get with Miller is 1) a premier, veteran sack artist who can mentor young players such as Diaby; and 2) a guy who's edging toward retirement and who the team wouldn't have to sign to a multiyear deal.
Miller, who turns 37 in March, has publicly expressed his passion for mentoring young players. The seven-time All Pro and eight-time Pro Bowler also has two Super Bowl rings, and was the Super Bowl MVP in the Denver Broncos win over the Carolina Panthers in 2016. Von Miller knows how to win.
With nine sacks for the Washington Commanders last season, Miller can still play, too. But if he is the Bucs' edge move this offseason, it would probably heighten the chances of the team will take a long-term player in the first round.
No. 2: Boye Mafe
If the Bucs want to go young, this would be the guy. Mafe is only 27 and already has a Super Bowl ring, having helped the Seattle Seahawks to that title earlier this month. Mafe only had two sacks this season, but a lot of that was due to a decrease in playing time and Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald's philosophy of forcing bad QB throws as opposed to sacks.
Mafe recorded pressures on 13.2 percent of his pass-rushing snaps, a career high, so he can very much impact the game.
When the scheme called for more sacks, Mafe accomplished that too, posting nine sacks in 2023 and six in 2024.
Mafe's projected contract value is more than $12.2 million per year, which is less than what the Bucs paid Reddick. But he's also projected to get three years, which could deter the Bucs.
Tampa could give him a long-term deal if he is productive. It's a matter of whether the Bucs are willing to do it, but three years for Mafe seems to make more sense than two for Bosa.
No. 1: Arnold Ebiketie
As with linebacker Kaden Elliss, Ebiketie is an Atlanta Falcon who is about to be a free agent.
It can be fun to take a player from a division rival, and although Ebiketie only had two sacks, a lot of that was due to playing in a crowded edge room. He had six sacks in both 2023 and 2024 and is only 27.
Ebikitie's 6-foot-2, 250-pound frame and first step make him versatile enough to play outside linebacker in a 3-4 or defensive end in a 4-3. Versatility is important, since Bowles' scheme features a wide variety of fronts. Ebikitie has also shown himself to be capable of dropping into coverage, which would be valuable in a defense that often disguises blitzes.
The market value is just over $27 million over three years, so although the length might deter the Bucs, his annual salary would be one of the most affordable.
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