The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have invested heavily in their defensive line over the past several years. With a blend of steady high-end talent and promising up-and-comers, Tampa Bay’s defensive front does not need any wholesale changes this offseason but a tweak here or there is likely.
Defensive line is clearly a priority position for the Bucs front office. In the past two years, they drafted tackles with their first picks in addition to signing Vita Vea to a four-year, $71 million extension in 2022. No position on the team has received a greater injection of young talent and financial investment.
Vea remains the centerpiece of the line, now both physically and financially. Tampa Bay’s largest player now has its largest cap number on the defense at $20.9 million. Vea has certainly earned the distinction as no Buccaneer has more sacks (15) over the last two seasons.
He is now joined by Logan Hall and Calijah Kancey, Tampa Bay’s top picks in each of the last two drafts. Hall, who was taken with the 33rd-overall pick in the 2022 draft, is still finding his identity in the NFL, posting modest stats in his first two seasons: three sacks, 35 total pressures, 34 tackles and seven tackles for a loss. While he has not quite lived up to his draft status, Hall was taken knowing he would be a long-term project. 2024 will be a formative season for him.
Kancey had a very successful rookie season, recording 10 tackles for a loss, four sacks and 34 total pressures, third-most among rookie defensive linemen despite missing four games. Though he is certainly small for an interior lineman, Kancey’s rare burst and refined technique made him a nightmare for pass protectors.
The trio of Vea, Hall and Kancey should form the principal starting line for at least the next two seasons. The steady presence of Vea and the promise of Hall and Kancey will likely preclude any significant additions this offseason.
The line’s depth is another matter. After Vea, Hall and Kancey, the Bucs have just one lineman, Mike Greene, who took defensive snaps in 2023 under contract for 2024. Veterans Greg Gaines, Will Gholston and Pat O’Connor are not guaranteed to return.
Gaines was steady if unremarkable as a rotational nose tackle. Gholston is Tampa Bay’s second-longest tenured player, providing solid play in run support. O’Connor primarily plays on special teams.
Re-signing or replacing any of them is far from impossible. Gholston is firmly in the “sign after the high days of training camp” portion of his career and still could be on the roster by Week 1. O’Connor also appears to be on the “Tampa Bay or bust” track.
In free agency, the Bucs could bolster their nose tackle depth with journeyman Sebastian Joseph-Day or Kansas City’s Derrick Nnadi. Veteran tackles like Shelby Harris or Grover Stewart would be valuable additions to the tackle rotation.
The Bucs probably will not target interior defensive linemen with one of their premium draft picks, but a Day 3 pick or priority undrafted free agent is not out of the question. FAU NT Evan Anderson has the size, strength and violent demeanor to fit in Tampa Bay’s tackle rotation.
Thanks to some long-term planning by the Bucs’ front office, it should be a relatively quiet offseason for the Bucs’ defensive tackles. It should allow Tampa Bay to reload at other positions that are in much greater need of a shakeup.
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