The Tampa Bay Buccaneers recognized that whatever they were doing defensively in 2025 simply wasn’t working.
That came despite head coach Todd Bowles’ reputation for defensive expertise. Bowles knows plenty about building an elite defense, yet Tampa Bay does not employ a defensive coordinator.
The results were difficult to ignore. Tampa Bay finished 8-9 and missed the playoffs, potentially creating an opportunity for someone new.
The Buccaneers’ first preseason game against the New York Jets introduced one potential name. Undrafted edge rusher Jack Pyburn delivered two sacks during his unofficial NFL debut.
Pyburn stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 258 pounds. His performance against New York quickly put him among the team’s intriguing roster bubble players.
The Athletic Highlights Jack Pyburn
The Athletic’s Daniel Popper recently singled out Pyburn among the NFL’s top “roster bubble” players. Popper believes Pyburn is making a strong push for Tampa Bay’s 53-man roster.
“Pyburn signed with the Bucs this spring as an undrafted free agent out of LSU,” Popper wrote on August 18. “He had two sacks Friday in Tampa Bay’s 24-16 win over the New York Jets, including one in crunch time in the fourth quarter. Pyburn is undersized, but he is strong and plays with an unrelenting motor. He threw a variety of moves, including a rip for his first sack in the third quarter and an inside spin move that needs some additional polishing. Pyburn also looked dominant at certain moments in the run game, including a rep late in the third quarter when he was matched up against Jets tight end Chase Curtis.”
Pyburn’s performance clearly gave Tampa Bay something to consider. His preseason debut also provided an early opportunity to showcase his potential.
Pyburn Flashed Upside at Florida and LSU
Pyburn is a Jacksonville, Florida, native who played three seasons at Florida. He transferred to LSU for his final college season in 2025.
Pyburn showed glimpses of his potential during his final two college seasons. He produced across multiple areas while playing at both Florida and LSU.
During the 2024 and 2025 seasons, Pyburn recorded 112 tackles and 10.5 tackles for loss. He also added 3.0 sacks, one interception, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.
Pyburn produced those numbers across 24 games during his final two seasons. He made 19 starts during that stretch.
Now, his preseason performance against the Jets has put him on Tampa Bay’s roster radar.
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