Now entering his third NFL season, Yaya Diaby is in a strong position to take a major step forward as a pass rusher. While his 2024 sack total may not have turned heads, his pressure metrics tell a far more promising story, and with reinforcements arriving on Tampa Bay’s defensive front, Diaby’s breakout potential is hard to ignore.
Diaby followed up his 7.5-sack rookie campaign with 4.5 sacks in 2024, but the raw total doesn’t fully reflect his impact.
He led the Buccaneers with 57 total pressures, ranking 18th among all NFL edge rushers, and posted a 13.3% pressure rate, a noticeable jump from 9.1% as a rookie. His pass-rush win rate also climbed to 17.4%, placing him 11th among edge defenders across the league. Along with his pressures, Diaby recorded 20 quarterback hits and 13 tackles for loss, consistently affecting the pocket even when the sacks didn’t show up on the stat sheet. The production suggests a player who’s close to turning pressures into big plays.
Diaby himself has acknowledged playing with more confidence and anticipation, allowing him to trust his technique and react rather than overthink. The arrival of Haason Reddick should reduce double-teams and give Diaby more favorable matchups. With Reddick, Calijah Kancey, and Vita Vea drawing attention, Diaby is positioned to clean up more often. Additionally, Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles is expected to lean further into standard pressure looks in 2025, placing responsibility on the front four to generate pressure and creating more opportunities for Diaby to close the deal.
Given his upward trend in pressures and win rate along with improved help opposite him, Diaby is a strong candidate to post the first double-digit sack season of his career.
Projected 2025 Sacks: 8–10
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: 2025 Tampa Bay Buccaneers projections: How many sacks will Yaya Diaby have in 2025?
Reporting by Ashlie Abrahams, Buccaneers Wire / Bucs Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
