Second-year edge rusher could shine for Bucs in 2025

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are counting on a big year from this former Alabama pass rusher.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Chris Braswell looks on fro the sidelines against the Miami Dolphins in the third quarter. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers revamped their edge rushing room in a big way this offseason, and as a result, one player might be getting lost in the discussion.

The Bucs brought in edge rushing star Haason Reddick from free agency and drafted Central Arkansas standout David Walker in the NFL Draft, adding two new names to the edge rushing room. Both moves were made in hopes of igniting a pass rush that's been lackluster in recent years, but the Bucs also already have a second-round pick entering his second year with the team in Chris Braswell.

Braswell got limited playing time in the edge rushing rotation in 2024, and his results were middling — he had just 11 solo tackles and 1.5 sacks, and he struggled to build a lot of pressure. That could change in Year 2 under Todd Bowles' scheme and with an offseason to hone his craft, however, and CBS writer Chris Trapasso named Braswell as a player ready to announce himself to the NFL in his second year.

Here's what he had to say about Tampa Bay's sophomore edge rusher:

The 57th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft was eased into the rotation in Tampa Bay a season ago, and while he wasn't dreadful, there's ample room for improvement from his 10.8% pressure rate in Year 1," Trapasso wrote. "Braswell possesses the three-down game to make a name for himself in Year 2, and I imagine he's even more of a physical specimen now after a full year in the Buccaneers' strength and conditioning program."

Aug 10, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Chris Braswell (43) catches a pass during warmups before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images / Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

With Reddick in the building to teach him new tips and Walker there to push him in competition, Braswell could be in for a big year. He showed tremendous strength at the University of Alabama, and he'll be looking to apply that to a slowed-down NFL level in 2025.

Braswell spoke to media after minicamp, and he said that he's been looking at film from last year and working on specific things he saw to get even better in 2025.

“It was great to learn – I assessed the film last year and I wanted to figure out what could I do to get better," Braswell said. "I felt like, this offseason, my focus was working more with my hands and mixing up my pass rushing instead of going like power all the time. I think the biggest thing for me was honestly, like I said, working on my hands. I have Yaya [Diaby] helping with that and Coach [Larry] Foote and everything.”

Should Braswell take a step up in 2025, the Bucs could have a lethal edge rushing rotation — a big turnaround from where they've been in times past.

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READ MORE: PFF ranks Buccaneers linebacker outside Top 20 in latest rankings

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