NFL free agency is right around the corner, but before it arrives, a barrage of rumors is going to bombard fans as a means of chaotic table setting. Not all of the rumors will end up leading anywhere, but that doesn’t make them any less fun to track and see where they go.
For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers one name has consistently started popping up as a potential free agent target this offseason.
Philadelphia Eagles pass rusher Josh Sweat has popped up more than a few times already this offseason as a name to keep an eye on. He was earmarked before the Super Bowl and after helping Philly smother Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs offense he continues to be linked as someone experts think could be a perfect fit to help fix Tampa Bay’s pass rush issues.
Buccaneers once again linked to Josh Sweat as a potential free agent target
ESPN’s Aaron Schatz linked a free agent to every team in the league and had a no-brainer pick for the Buccaneers.
It’s not the first time Sweat’s name has been connected to the Bucs; this is the third time in a month that we’ve heard him tossed out as a potential option. Each time, it’s made more and more sense, as adding Sweat goes a long way in helping Tampa Bay fix a pass rush that left a lot to be desired last year.
The Bucs are set to lose a few guys to free agency as well, with Joe Tyron-Shoyinka and Anthony Nelson unlikely to return. Sweat is better than both of them combined, finishing the year with eight sacks during the regular season and 33 pressures to empahsize how well he can get after the quarterback.
Tampa Bay’s pass rush ranked 11th last year but that papers over how the lack of a pass rush at key points in games ended up holding the team back. Getting Sweat into a rotation with a straong rookie class plus guys like Calijah Kancey and Yaya Diaby could be exactly the reboot the Bucs need off the edges of the defensive line.
Unlike splashy options like trading for Myles Garrett or Micah Parsons, signing Sweat might not break the bank. Even after playing the role of a Super Bowl hero for the Eagles, his market value is around $56 million over three years which is very affordable for a team as needy for an upgrade as Tampa Bay is. He won’t come cheap, but signing him for around $18 million AAV feels like a smart splash to make.
One thing that could complicate matters is that Tampa Bay won’t be the only team trying to bring Sweat in. There will be competition on the market for pass rush help this offseason but the Bucs are in a position to go after someone like Sweat to truly add to the defense in a meaningful way that could end up taking it over the top in 2025.
