![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Mafe.png\")
<\/a>Surprise! The Bucs need upgrades at the edge rusher position.<\/p>\nIf the position isn\u2019t addressed before the 2026 draft, then it\u2019s fair to assume the Bucs\u2019 front office doesn\u2019t believe it can win postseason games next season.<\/p>\n
Does Joe think the Bucs will go all-in with a whatever-it-takes approach to upgrade at edge rusher? Absolutely not. That doesn\u2019t mean the team can\u2019t improve significantly.<\/p>\n
The bar is low. Chris Braswell can\u2019t rush the passer. Haason Reddick was a mis-evaluated money flush. Anthony Nelson is a depth piece. And Markees Watts couldn\u2019t get snaps in front of the aforementioned threesome.<\/p>\n
So what kind of player will the Bucs seek to play opposite YaYa Diaby and essentially replace Reddick?<\/p>\n
Joe thinks Seattle\u2019s Boye Mafe could be that guy. He\u2019s been buried in the Seahawks\u2019 very deep edge rusher rotation. He turns 28 in November and was an early second-round pick out of Minnesota in 2022.<\/p>\n
Mafe\u2019s best year was 2023, his only as a true full-time player. He recorded 9 sacks and 6 passes defensed on what was a bad Seattle defense.<\/p>\n
In addition to watching Mafe, Joe\u2019s read various Seahawks fan takes on him. The consensus says he\u2019s a quality player whose 2026 salary will be far greater than what he\u2019s worth to Seattle.<\/p>\n
Mafe played 20 snaps against the Rams yesterday in the NFC Championship game. He\u2019s been durable in his NFL career and played every game this season with only 2 sacks.<\/p>\n
The draft crowd knows Mafe is a freakish athlete at 6-4, 260 pounds, very much a YaYa Diaby clone physically.<\/p>\n
Mafe will have a market, but he won\u2019t break the bank if he doesn\u2019t have a big Super Bowl finish, and he certainly should represent an upgrade in Tampa. There are other options, but Mafe is a name to keep an eye on.<\/p>\n
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