Is Bucs’ rookie Chris Braswell pushing for a starting role?
The Tampa Bay Bucs drafted Joe Tryon-Shoyinka with the last pick in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. The last pick in round one doesn’t automatically project as a Hall of Famer, however, a first round pick is a first round pick. Tryon-Shoyinka’s draft status saddled him with unavoidable expectations. The former Washington Huskie was joining a Super Bowl champion who had managed to resign all of its key contributors and was attempting a repeat.
As a rookie, Tryon-Shoyinka’s role was limited to playing behind veterans like Shaq Barrett and Jason Pierre Paul— In rotational snaps he tallied 29 tackles and four sacks. Year two was set to be a breakout season for Tampa’s 2021 first-rounder. Jason Pierre Paul was no longer a Buccaneer and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka was poised to be the yin to Shaq Barrett’s yang. In his second season, Tryon-Shoyinka nearly doubled his tackle production, but roped in the same amount of sacks as he did in his debut campaign.
Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images
After eight sacks across two seasons, expectations simmered and the Bucs themselves began to prepare themselves for a world without Joe Tryon-Shoyinka. In the 2023 draft, the Bucs drafted Yaya Diaby, an edge-rusher who would go on to lead the 2023 Bucs in sacks. While Diaby’s 7.5 sacks were a team-high, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka hit a new personal-best— A five sack season, the fifth of which came at pivotal point in the season— Week 18, a 9-0 divisional win over the Carolina Panthers when the Bucs needed a victory to secure a spot in the playoffs. With less than seven minutes left in the regular season, Tryon-Shoyinka stripped the ball from Bryce Young, the Bucs recovered, and Tampa Bay had sealed up the NFC South crown.
Following Tampa’s narrative-altering 2023 season, the Bucs once again (for the second consecutive year) spent a high-round draft pick on an edge-rusher. In the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Tampa Bay selected Chris Braswell out of the University of Alabama
To this point, with Shaq Barrett gone, it is unclear who will be starting for Tampa on the edges of Todd Bowles’ defense. Yaya Diaby projects as a natural option to step into a larger role this season, however, opposite Diaby Tampa has a blank space. Joe Tryon-Shoyinka has plenty of experience and should be the favorite to land a starting role.
NFL.com‘s Gregg Rosenthal thinks otherwise, going on record that he suspects Chris Braswell will be Tampa Bay’s week one starter.
If Rosenthal’s projection becomes reality Joe Tryon-Shoyinka will have lost playing time to rookies in back-to-back seasons, not exactly prideful moments to have on a résumé. Chris Braswell’s potential emergence could script an end to Joe Tryon-Shoyinka in a Bucs’ uniform.
For more Bucs coverage check us out here:
@Bucs_Nation(X)
@Will_Walsh_NFL(YouTube)