The Tampa Bay Buccaneers did not get the type of performance they expected from their defensive front in their season-opening loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, but one veteran quietly put together an encouraging debut.
According to PFF, Al-Quadin Muhammad finished Week 1 with a 27.3 percent pass rush win rate, the fourth-highest among edge defenders with at least 10 pass rush snaps. He trailed only Maxx Crosby at 33.3 percent, Chauncey Golston at 29.4 percent, and Aidan Hutchinson at 28.6 percent. Muhammad did not record a sack, but the underlying numbers show he was much more disruptive than the box score suggests. PFF credited him with two quarterback hits on just 26 total defensive snaps, while giving him an 81.5 pass rush grade. His 82.5 overall
defensive grade currently ranks 12th among qualified edge defenders. Muhammad showed last season that he can be highly productive without needing a full workload, and his first game with Tampa Bay showed he can get it done without the likes of Aidan Hutchinson on the opposite side.
Muhammad is coming off the best season of his career with the Detroit Lions. He recorded a career-high 11 sacks and 20 quarterback hits in 2025 despite not starting a game. His 18.1 percent pressure rate ranked fifth among defenders with at least 250 pass rush snaps. The Buccaneers are hoping that production carries over, especially after their pass rush struggled collectively against Cincinnati. Tampa Bay entered the season with a deeper group featuring YaYa Diaby, first-round pick Rueben Bain Jr., Muhammad, and others, but the unit did not consistently affect the quarterback in Week 1. Now the Buccaneers need to find a way to turn those individual wins into actual sacks and disruption across the entire defensive front.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Al-Quadin Muhammad 4th best pass rush win percent in week 1
