The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been searching for answers at outside linebacker and edge rusher for years, and both coach Todd Bowles and general manager Jason Licht believe they’ve finally found them.

The Buccaneers’ pass rush currently features a five-man rotation at edge that looks as strong on paper as anything Tampa Bay has fielded since winning the Super Bowl. With Rueben Bain Jr. and Yaya Diaby leading the way, followed by Al-Quadin Muhammad, Anthony Nelson, and David Walker, the Bucs feel confident they can generate the kind of pressure that’s been missing since the days of Shaquil Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul.

Bowles was blunt when asked if this is the deepest pass rush group he’s had since joining the Buccaneers in 2019.

“I think it is, yes,” Bowles simply stated.

Licht took it a step further when he spoke with reporters earlier in the week. He believes this group is the best collection of outside pass rushers he’s had since arriving in Tampa Bay in 2014.

“The first thing comes to mind is we have really good depth, as good as I can remember or have had here in my tenure at outside linebacker, and (we) feel very good about that. …

“We haven’t played a game yet, but it feels very good from what we’ve seen so far, and from all of them. I want to name all of them. You guys know who’s on the roster, so I mean, I’ll just go down to Anthony Nelson, who also had a strong preseason, and he’s been Mr. Clutch for us over the years. So, (we) feel very, very good about that position.”

Tampa Bay hasn’t had this kind of depth since the Super Bowl run

It makes sense when you look at the recent history. The Buccaneers have tried to rebuild the pass rush with guys like Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Logan Hall, and even Haason Reddick, and it just hasn’t worked out.

Barrett and Pierre-Paul were the pinnacle of success on the outside during that championship run, and even behind them at that time, the depth was thin. Anthony Nelson was still growing into his role, and beyond him, the Bucs were mixing in guys who simply weren’t effective enough.

The Buccaneers haven’t had a stout 3-man pass rush rotation since Bowles arrived, much less a legitimate 5-man group. That’s what makes this feel so different heading into 2026.

Now granted, guys like Bain Jr. still have to prove it, and the entire group has to make it work in cohesion once the games start counting. But it’s hard to disagree with Bowles and Licht’s assessment when you look at the roster construction.

Why a dominant pass rush changes everything for Bowles’ defense

A strong pass rush is absolutely paramount to NFL success. It doesn’t matter if you have elite cornerbacks in the secondary. Opposing quarterbacks will find ways to carve up the back end if nobody is generating pressure, getting sacks, or even just landing hits.

Knowing how Bowles operates his defense, there’s very little reason to doubt that this pass rush can be a top-10 unit in the NFL. Bowles has always been aggressive with his blitz packages and creative with his looks, but he’s never had this kind of natural talent and depth to work with at edge rusher during his time in Tampa Bay.

It’s a good spot to be in. Actually, it’s a great spot to be in. The talent is there, the depth is there, and now it’s all about making it happen on the field when the games matter most. If this group delivers, the Buccaneers could get back to the high sack numbers that fans have been waiting to see since the Super Bowl era came to a close.