Not many people are high on the Bucs edge rushers this season, and that’s fair.
Some believe that the only way it’ll get fixed is by adding a new player in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft to lead the way. The Bucs definitely should not back off from adding an outside linebacker within the first three rounds, but there are a couple of moving parts in-house already that could already put Tampa Bay’s team in a better spot.
It’s been said that outside linebacker David Walker is a bonus addition for the Bucs at outside linebacker this season. Walker, Tampa Bay’s fourth round pick out of Central Arkansas last season, unfortunately tore his ACL very early into training camp and was out for the season. The thought was he was going to have an impact on the edge, but the hopes were dashed with the injury.
Bucs Are Very Excited About David Walker’s Progress
Having a small school player going into his second season after having very little NFL experience and coming off of a major injury doesn’t bring a lot of inspiration. Don’t tell that to Bucs general manager Jason Licht, though.
He sounded through the roof when telling everybody about David Walker going into the season.
Bucs OLB David Walker – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
“I can’t wait to see David Walker,” Licht said. “I think it could unlock a lot from a lot of our players. And having Calijah (Kancey) for the season.”
Then he sounded just as thrilled giving an update on how his rehab has gone.
“It was beyond okay,” Licht added. “He’s what we call ‘kind of a freak.’ He got through everything. I heard that countless times through the trainers that he’s way ahead of schedule. This guys’ unbelievable, not just his work ethic, but his genetic makeup.”
Bucs OLBs coach Larry Foote and OLB David Walker – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Sounds like Walker is more in the Bucs’ pass rushing plan than what was originally expected.
Yaya Diaby Will Be Pushed By New Signing
The addition of Al-Quadin Muhammad has its own benefits after Tampa Bay signed him in free agency. He’s coming off of his best season where recorded 11 sacks despite playing around 40% of the defensive snaps. Muhammad is going to end up being either starting on this team or being a quality backup that will get his opportunities to rush the quarterback and be an upgrade to the Bucs’ second outside linebacker unit.
Bucs OLB Al-Quadin Muhammad – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Junfu Han
What it will also be able to do is to get the best out of the team’s current number one outside linebacker, Yaya Diaby. Let’s not forget that Diaby is coming off of a season where he recorded seven sacks, which was just a half sack behind his career high of 7.5 that he recorded as a rookie two seasons ago.
Diaby has always enjoyed the competition aspect of going competing with teammates in practice. He infamously voiced his displeasure for how practice was run last season, and the duo of Diaby and Muhammad can help get the best out of each other’s games.
“It’s an opportunity to also make Yaya better,” Licht said of the other benefit signing Muhammad does. “Having to draft a premier rusher, but Yaya, if you look at his first three-year his sacks, his pressures, his win rate, it stacks up there with some of the best. I don’t think you’ve seen what Yaya can do yet.”
Bucs OLB Yaya Diaby – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
If the best is yet to come for Diaby, it makes it a very intriguing year for him. He’s going into a contract season, and while nobody will mistake Diaby for being a top edge rusher in the league, there are players with less production than Diaby that get paid big money.
Do the Bucs want to sign Diaby long term? Or let him play it out and cross that bridge when they get to it?
When those conversations come about, it would at least mean that Diaby is production, and hopefully Tampa Bay is winning. But if David Walker and Yaya Diaby show up big time the way Licht hopes they do, it changes a lot for the Bucs’ 2026 outlook on defense.