Buccaneers run defense outlook

By: Jake Rajala

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had a sure-fire, elite run defense over the past couple of seasons. They ranked fourth in rushing yards allowed per game in 2023. In 2024, the Bucs ranked fourth in rushing yards per game allowed! They are the only squad to rank in the Top-4 in rushing yards allowed in the past two seasons.

It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for the Bucs run defense in 2024. Through the first nine weeks last season, they allowed 130.8 rushing yards per game. Their run defense went from the walking dead to a brick wall after nine weeks.

The elite crew on the Bucs front seven is Vita Vea, Calijah Kancey, Lavonte David, Logan Hall, and two newly acquired defensive linemen: Desmond Watson and Haason Reddick. Watson is the heaviest defensive lineman of all time, as he stands at 6’6, 464 pounds. Him and Veta Vea combine over 800 pounds!

Not only have the Bucs front seven played at an elite level, but they are also somewhat young. Vea, Kancey, David, Hall, and Watson have an average age below 30. After the Bucs lost Shaq Barrett, Suh, and William Gholston, they replaced them with young faces right away.

Not only are the Bucs prolific against the run, but they can also get after the passer. They ranked 7th in sacks last season with 46 sacks. Reddick will noticeably help, as well. He recorded 16 sacks in 2022 and 11 sacks in 2023! It’s impressive that the Bucs can produce a plethora of sacks on defense, especially with the Saints, Panthers, and Falcons ranking in the Top 13 in sacks allowed.

The Bucs will need to replace David in the near future, as he is 36 years old. I don’t like that they didn’t draft a LB in the 2025 draft. The other Bucs ILB Anthony Walker Jr. is also a middle-of-the-pack LB at best. I would have liked to see Devin White stay in a Bucs uniform versus going to the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Bucs are a playoff team, so it’s fantastic that they have a front seven built to slow down the likes of Saquon Barkley. Because we know Baker Mayfield will do his part and play like a Pro Bowl QB.

I believe the Bucs had a Top-5 front seven over the past two seasons, but I believe the arrival of Reddick cements them having a Top-3 front seven.