Yaya Diaby has heard all of the discuss in regards to the Bucs needing an elite edge rusher this offseason and took to his social media account on X to speak about it, too.
Tampa Bay’s main sacker amongst outdoors linebackers final 12 months with 4.5 was fired up, and made the next assertion:
“I can’t wait to prove all the doubters wrong!! Trust and believe I am an elite pass rusher (FYI watch film)”
I can’t wait to show all of the doubters incorrect!! Belief and imagine I’m an elite cross rusher (FYI watch movie) pic.twitter.com/FbAuqVBnXk
Diaby isn’t incorrect, and he has the numbers – and the movie – to again it up.
But that doesn’t diminish the truth that Tampa Bay does want one other elite edge rusher to play reverse him, because the Bucs had throughout their Tremendous Bowl run with Shaq Barrett, a 2019 Professional Bowler, on one facet and Jason Pierre-Paul, a 2020 Professional Bowler, on the opposite. The workforce is predicted to focus on one other top-notch edge rusher this offseason by way of free company, commerce or the 2025 NFL Draft.
Yaya Diaby Made Massive Strides As A Go Rusher With The Bucs In 2024
Bucs OLB Yaya Diaby – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Though Yaya Diaby’s sack complete was down from a team-leading 7.5 sacks as a rookie in 2023 to 4.5 final 12 months, the Louisville product made enormous strides in each different space of his sport. Diaby had a 77.3 cross rush grade, in response to Professional Soccer Focus, which ranked nineteenth amongst all edge rushers.
His 65 complete pressures, which incorporates pressures, sacks and QB hits, ranked ninth amongst edge rushers, in response to PFF. That trails the likes of Cincinnati’s Trey Hendrickson (83), Cleveland’s Myles Garrett (83), Minnesota’s Jonathan Greenard (80), L.A. Rams rookie Jared Verse (83.7), Dallas’ Micah Parsons (70), San Francisco’s Nick Bosa (69), New Orleans’ Chase Younger (66) and Houston’s Danielle Hunter (66).
That’s some fairly elite firm proper there.
Diaby’s 17.4% cross rush win fee, which ranked eleventh amongst edge rushers with at the least 200 cross rush snaps in response to PFF, was greater than double what it was a 12 months in the past as a rookie at simply 7.5%.
To place that in perspective, three multi-year Professional Bowlers have been solely barely higher than Diaby in that class in 2024. Garrett had a 23.1% cross rush win fee, whereas Parsons got here in at 20.2%, whereas Hendrickson’s was 20%.
Bucs OLB Yaya Diaby and Ravens QB Lamar Jackson – Picture by: USA In the present day
Once more, that’s some elite firm to be in.
Diaby’s sack manufacturing was minimal in the beginning of the season with simply two sacks within the first seven video games. However these two sacks got here in opposition to Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts and Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson, two of the league’s most athletic quarterbacks.
After a seven-game sack drought in the midst of the season, Diaby caught fireplace on the finish of the 2024 marketing campaign. He completed with half a sack at Dallas, had one other sack versus Carolina after which another to finish the 12 months in opposition to New Orleans.
Diaby’s five-tackle, one-sack effort versus the Saints, which included three tackles for loss, earned him NFC Defensive Participant of the Week honors. He then had 4 tackles in opposition to Washington within the NFC Wild Card loss, in addition to a 3rd down sack of Jayden Daniels that was negated because of a penalty.
Yaya Diaby Would Money In If He Was A Free Agent This Offseason
Bucs OLB Yaya Diaby and Commanders QB Jayden Daniels – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Bucs outdoors linebacker Yaya Diaby is getting into his third 12 months in Tampa Bay, but when he was a free agent he could be in line to make near $20 million per 12 months primarily based on his age (25), final 12 months’s manufacturing and his potential.
Philadelphia edge rusher Josh Sweat, who’s about to money in with an enormous contract in free company recent off 2.5 sacks within the Tremendous Bowl, earned a 71.5 PFF cross rush grade with eight sacks and 54 pressures. Sweat had a decrease PFF cross rush grade and fewer pressures than Diaby through the common season and is about to earn just below $20 million per 12 months in free company.
Nolan Smith, the Eagles’ former first-round decide in 2023, had a 70.2 cross rush grade from PFF and completed with 31 pressures and 6.5 sacks through the common season earlier than including 4 extra sacks within the postseason. Once more, sacks apart, Diaby had a greater cross rush grade and extra pressures than Smith did in 2024.
Khalil Mack, who will probably be difficult Sweat to be the highest-paid edge rusher in free company this 12 months, had a 79.9 PFF grade with 49 complete pressures and simply six sacks.
As Diaby inches nearer to his contract 12 months in 2026, he’ll be centered on upping his sack complete this season as a result of sacks get cross rushers drafted excessive and paid in free company. If the development he made in 2024 is any indication, extra sacks are on the way in which for Diaby in 2025 – and maybe a Professional Bowl berth as properly.
That’s the last word recognition for elite cross rushers.
