Chris Braswell entered the NFL as a second-round pick expected to eventually become an important piece of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' pass rush. Two years later, the former Alabama standout could be fighting to keep his place on the roster.
Pro Football Focus included Braswell among 10 NFL players currently on the roster bubble ahead of the 53-man cutdown deadline. PFF pointed to both his limited production and Tampa Bay's improved depth at edge rusher as reasons his future with the team has become uncertain. Through his first two seasons, Braswell has played just 618 defensive snaps. He has generated 35 pressures on 322 pass rushing opportunities while earning a 61.0 overall PFF grade. Those numbers haven't provided the type of development the Buccaneers
hoped to see after selecting him 57th overall in 2024.
The Buccaneers selected Rueben Bain Jr. in the first round this year and signed veteran Al-Quadin Muhammad, adding two more options to a room already featuring Yaya Diaby. Not to mention tenured man Anthony Nelson has also made a strong case this preseason with a 92.6 overall PFF grade, while David Walker, who missed his entire rookie season with a torn ACL, has already shown more in one preseason than Braswell has in two years having earned an 80.5 pass rush grade. Meanwhile, Braswell earned a 34.4 overall PFF grade in the opener before missing Tampa Bay's second preseason game. In the chances he has had, Braswell has consistently been swallowed by offensive tackles and shown little to no juice in comparison to the others in the OLB room. In fact, he recorded no stats against the New York Jets.
Moving on from a former second-round pick after only two seasons wouldn't be an easy decision, especially since Braswell is still entering his third year and remains on a cheap rookie deal, but draft status can only provide security for so long when other players are producing. Braswell should have one final opportunity against Jacksonville to show why Tampa Bay should continue investing in his development.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Chris Braswell makes PPF's roster bubble list
