The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have secured their franchise quarterback for the post-Tom Brady era with Baker Mayfield, whose synergy with wide receiver Mike Evans has fostered one of the league’s most dynamic offenses. Meanwhile, on the defensive side, some standout players feel they have not received the recognition they deserve. Linebacker Yaya Diaby had an impressive rookie season in 2023, totaling 7.5 sacks, but his production dipped to 4.5 sacks in his second season as a full-time starter in 2024, leading him to believe his overall impact on the field has been overlooked.
“Besides the sack numbers, I feel like I made major growth in every other category,” Diaby said in an appearance on the Pewter Report podcast. “I just want to thank myself and congratulate myself on that part, you know? I know for sure the sack part is going to come.” Despite the drop in sacks, Diaby continued to pressure opposing quarterbacks effectively, recording 20 quarterback hits and 65 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.
“I feel like it gets overlooked because when people search up your name, they go straight to sacks because you’re an edge rusher,” Diaby noted. “All of the other statistics really don’t show unless you actually search for it. I feel like I improved a lot in everything; my run defense and pass rush ability improved drastically.” It will be intriguing to see what Diaby achieves in his third season in the league.
