The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a tough decision to make when it comes to veteran defender Yaya Diaby. He is entering the last year of his rookie salary contract, and right now the team is letting things play out as they decide whether to offer him an extension to stay with the team or let him leave in free agency.
Scott Reynolds of Pewter Report noted that if his Week 1 performance is any indication of what the Bucs are going to get from Diaby in 2026, they are likely to let another team pay him in free agency.
“He’s got to put up some statistics; he’s got to prove he can get to the quarterback,” said Reynolds on the Pewter Report podcast. “If he has any more of these types of games, some team will pay him…there will be a team that will overpay Yaya Diaby, but if he keeps playing like this, hopefully it’s not the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.”
Diaby played 40 snaps for the Bucs and had 24 pass rush snaps. He recorded just one pressure. Overall, he had a pass rush grade of 51.5, which is below average. Last year, Diaby only had one game worse than his performance in Week 1, according to PFF.
The Bucs edge rusher is going to have to rebound quickly.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Might Not Extend Veteran Yaya Diaby
Diaby has been hot and cold for the Buccaneers since entering the NFL, which is why he has not received a contract extension yet. The third-round pick hit the ground running in his rookie season. He recorded 7.5 sacks and only started about halfway through the year.
However, in his second season, he dropped to 4.5 sacks. Things picked up in year three. Still, he put up seven sacks, which is right below his rookie season. He has been unable to produce more than he did in his first year with the Bucs.
As Reynolds points out, young edge rushers with any hint of production get overpaid. He pointed to Jaelan Phillips on his podcast. He averages seven sacks per season and has a history of injuries. Still, the Panthers wound up paying him $30M per year in free agency.
The Bucs will see his inconsistency and not want to pay him. Diaby will see the big money in free agency and not want to settle with Tampa Bay.
Bucs Could Save Money With Diaby
The Bucs have had a lot of tough decisions to make when it comes to the future of their franchise. They just gave big extensions to quarterback Baker Mayfield and defensive tackle Vita Vea.
Not only is Diaby a situation where he is looking to cash in, but the Bucs are also debating guard Cody Mauch and how much he will demand on the open market. As both get closer to free agency, it will be harder to retain them.
Still, this season will determine how much both can command on the open market.
Bucs’ Contract Decision Gets Clearer After Week 1