How skilled is Rueben Bain covering receivers?
Joe read an interesting breakdown of edge rushers. It motivated Joe to try to think outside the box.
Ben Solak of BSPN typed a piece ranking and discussing the best positions to find available help this offseason, combining both free agency and the draft.
When it comes to an edge rush, Solak, without mentioning teams, suggested if a general manager cannot find an edge rusher this offseason, it may be time for change.
But Joe thinks that is irresponsible. Finding a player is half the battle. The other half is for the coaching staff to put the guy in position to make plays and to coach him up.
Since Todd Bowles took over the Bucs, the closest the Bucs have had to an edge rusher is YaYa Diaby, who had 7.5 sacks his rookie year (2023), his high-water mark.
Solak rattled off all sorts of players, in theory, could help the Bucs’ edge rush. What Solak did not address is how well all of those players perform in pass coverage.
Look, Joe’s not going to be a hypocrite and rag on Bowles’ for dropping guys in coverage. Every team does it. But it does seem Bowles is more concerned with edge rushers playing like safeties rather than edge rushers.
Bowles has repeatedly said when the subject of an edge rush comes up — something along the lines of, “We ask them to do other things.”
For example, of the hundreds of draft reports on players we will all read between now and the draft in two months, Joe is willing to bet a cold draft beer that nowhere will you read about Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain’s skillset covering running backs downfield on passing downs.
Of all the edge rushers, free agents and draft prospects Solak cited, how many of those guys could come in, learn Bowles’ system, and not get benched for poor pass defense?
If the Bucs land a talented edge rusher either in free agency or the draft (or both?), Joe just hopes Bowles is willing to adjust and allow the guy to earn what he is being paid to do: get after the quarterback first and foremost.
If you want to drop the guy into coverage every now and then, OK. But focus the guy on the very reason he will be on the Bucs roster.