Just 2 games into the 2024 regular season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are rolling in accolades after a 2-0 start — mainly centered around one of the NFL’s best passing attacks.
Conversely, one thing the Buccaneers haven’t done well is rush the passer. Their 2 sacks through 2 games are tied with the Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders for last in the NFL.
Just 6 weeks ahead of the NFL’s trade deadline on Nov. 5., one popular edge rusher trade target has emerged for the Buccaneers in New York Giants outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari.
Headed into Week 3, both ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox listed the Buccaneers as a possible landing spot for the former 2nd round pick.
“The Bucs are a three-time defending division champion with eyes on the postseason again, and edge rush is a place they could use some more help,” Graziano wrote.
Giants Have Surplus of Edge Rushers
Ojulari had a career-high 8.0 sacks as a rookie in 2021 after the Giants drafted him in the second round (No. 50 overall) out of Georgia, but has seen his sack total go down in the last 2 seasons as the franchise continued to bring in more edge rushers.
He’s now in the final season of his 4-year, $6.7 million rookie contract.
“The Giants have overhauled their pass rush and have built it around Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns (as well as Dexter Lawrence II on the interior),” Graziano wrote. “Ojulari is making just $1.58 million in the final year of his contract and could benefit from a larger role elsewhere ahead of free agency.”
The Giants selected Thibodeaux at No. 5 overall in the 2022 NFL draft. They traded for Burns in March 2024 and signed him to a 5-year, $141 million contract extension.
Tampa Bay’s defense has been missing some of its key components early in the season with NFL All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. out (ankle) and 2023 first-round pick Calijah Kancey missing on the defensive line.
“The Tampa Bay Buccaneers should be interested in adding an edge-rusher like Ojulari if the opportunity is there,” Knox wrote. “Tampa’s bend-but-don’t-break style of defense has helped deliver a 2-0 record, but its pass rush has been underwhelming.”
Bucs Tried to Solve Pass Rush Problems in Offseason
The Buccaneers have done their best to find an elite edge rusher — or even depth at the position — but have run into one problem after another.
Tryon-Shoyinka, their 2021 first-round pick, has underperformed and the Buccaneers declined the fifth-year option on his contract. YaYa Diaby led the team with 7.5 sacks as a rookie in 2023 but missed a month of practice after suffering a high ankle sprain on Aug. 1. Diaby has yet to register a sack in the first 2 games.
The Buccaneers signed veteran edge rusher Randy Gregory to a 1-year, $5 million contract in April 2024 but never showed up for minicamp or training camp and was ultimately released by the Buccaneers on Aug. 22.
Tampa Bay added another edge rusher in the 2024 NFL draft when they selected Alabama’s Chris Braswell in the 2nd round (No. 57 overall) after he earned All-SEC honors in 2023 with 42 tackles, 8.0 sacks and 3 forced fumbles.
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