During an interview in the Buccaneers' preseason finale against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Licht referenced Tampa Bay's Super Bowl LV roster when discussing the pressure the defense has generated up the middle this summer. The comparison offered insight into what the Buccaneers were trying to accomplish when they revamped the group during the offseason: the 2020 defense wasn't dependent on one player to create pressure like the Bucs have been the last few seasons.
Shaquill Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul gave Tampa Bay a dangerous combination off the edge, while Vita Vea and Ndamukong Suh created problems inside. That allowed Todd Bowles to generate pressure without always needing to manufacture it with additional rushers. Barrett and Pierre Paul combined
for 17.5 sacks during the 2020 regular season, and another five during the playoffs, and that type of balance has been missing in recent seasons. Tampa Bay finished 2025 with 37 sacks and went four consecutive seasons without having an individual player reach double-digit sacks. The Buccaneers were particularly ineffective down the stretch, averaging just 1.33 sacks per game during the second half of the season.
Licht and the front office responded aggressively, using the 15th overall pick on Rueben Bain Jr., adding Al-Quadin Muhammad after his breakout season in Detroit, and welcoming David Walker back after the former fourth-round pick missed his rookie season with a knee injury. Tampa Bay also reworked the middle of its defense following Lavonte David's retirement, adding former Lions captain Alex Anzalone, Christian Rozeboom and drafting Josiah Trotter Jr in the second round. The early returns have been encouraging as Walker has been extremely difficult to block throughout the preseason, consistently creating pressure whether working outside or attacking inside. Bain has already flashed his ability to win with power, while Tampa Bay's depth has continued to show up with players such as Jack Pyburn and Anthony Nelson.
The Buccaneers don't need this group to become a carbon copy of the 2020 defense. Barrett, Pierre-Paul, Suh and Vea formed one of the most talented fronts in football, and that group eventually overwhelmed Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LV. But the blueprint is familiar: Create pressure with four. Collapse the pocket from the inside. Give the quarterback nowhere to escape when the edge rush arrives. Most importantly, don't force Bowles to send extra defenders every time Tampa Bay needs to affect the quarterback. Licht remembers what Tampa Bay's defense looked like at its best, and he's seeing flashes again.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Jason Licht's references Super Bowl when talking front seven overhaul
