The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have to upgrade its pass rush in 2025 after an inconsistent outing in 2024. Sure, the team finished with at least 46.0 sacks for the fifth year in a row, but over half of them came from the defensive line, which isn’t ideal in this context.

The outside edge rushers failed to live up to expectations in terms getting the quarterback down on the ground. That was Todd Bowles’ main criticism of Joe Tryon-Shoyinka when he spoke with reporters during the NFL Combine and while YaYa Diaby generated one of the highest pressure totals at his position, he too couldn’t finish the job.

Then throw in the slow development of Chris Braswell on top of Anthony Nelson’s limited ceiling and it’s easy to see why the Bucs need to find a major way to get more out of the position. Especially when considering both Tryon-Shoyinka and Nelson are impending free agents.

Well, the Bucs are reportedly interested in signing former Defensive Player of the Year, Khalil Mack, to help fix the issue. Pewter Report’s Josh Queipo confirmed as much after ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote that people around the league have been making connections to the Bucs.

Mack makes sense for the Bucs, but only at the right price

I’m not as high on this move as others may be. Mack will play out his age-34 season and he’s not a long-term option for the Bucs. Hell, he may not even be a multi-year option, as nothing is guaranteed beyond 2025 with a player his age.

I also don’t think he had as strong a season as others. His 6.0 sacks during the regular season weren’t the most impressive plays and his 12.5% pressure rate against true pass sets season was average.

Right now, he’s projected to sign a two-year deal worth $22.5 million per year, according to NFL salary cap analysts Josh Queipo and Kyle DeDeminicantanio, as well as Pro Football Focus. That’s entirely too much money for Mack’s age and what he produced in 2024.

Again, the Bucs need guys to make plays on the outside and Mack didn’t do that, last year. He ranked 31st out of 35 qualifying EDGE rushers with a pass rush productivity of 7.6% against true pass sets, but finished 14th in win rate at 18.7%.

For context, YaYa Diaby finished with an 11.5% PRP and a 24.1% win rate. Nelson finished with a higher PRP, at 8.1%. How does a guy who was less productive than two of the Bucs’ main contributors, at that kind of salary, help fix the problem? Sure, he can certainly provide quality snaps, but he needs to both play at an elite level and produce splash plays at that price.

To pay Mack $22.5 million per year, which would currently make him the 10th-highest paid EDGE in the NFL, is simply way too much. The Bucs would be far better off spreading that money around at corner, safety, inside linebacker, or even wide receiver or guard. AAV isn’t the end-all-be-all, but it would certainly matter in a contract for a player like Mack. Anything over $15 million per year is too much.

Instead of sinking that much in on just one guy who is easily on the back end of his career and coming off a year where his production didn’t live up to his salary. Now, he’s projected to make even more than he did in 2024, which certainly sounds like a trap the Bucs need to avoid falling into.