The Buccaneers are getting a lot of buzz from Yaya Diaby, and he’s not shy about why. Even with Vita Vea asking for a trade yesterday, Diaby sounded energized by the wave of offseason additions around Tampa Bay and especially by the way Todd Bowles can move pieces around to create pressure.
Diaby pointed first to A’Shawn, calling him “a real dawg,” and said the defensive tackle’s physical style is exactly what the group needs. He also praised Alex for his intelligence and movement, comparing the way he flows on film to Lavonte David.
Then there’s Muhammad, whom Diaby described as a veteran who has “done it all and been everywhere” and still has “a lot of juice in the tank.” Diaby said Muhammad has already been helping teammates with “little notes and little keys” to improve.
The pass rusher also made clear how much he values Bowles’ flexibility. “He can put you anywhere,” Diaby said. He added that Bowles does “a very great job,” and said the depth on the roster should give the coach more options after David Walker’s injury last year left the defense without the tools it needed.
In Carolina, Dave Canales is already looking ahead to a bigger role for Princely Umanmielan. The Panthers coach said Umanmielan has the traits to earn significant pass-rush snaps in 2026, pointing to his length, bend, speed and ability to finish at the quarterback.
“ He’s got such great ability, ” Canales said, via The Athletic. “ He’s got length.
He’s got bend. He’s got speed.
He finishes at the quarterback in his past, in his history. And just wanting him to continue to show that every single day and lock into a role.
He’s gonna be able to push that group, and I can’t wait to see what he does. ”
Canales said Patrick Jones should also remain part of the mix because of his versatility. Jones can line up on the edge or inside, and he can handle both early-down work and pass-rush snaps in obvious passing situations.
“ Pat’s got versatility, ” Canales said. “ He can play first and second down, but he also has inside and outside rush ability on third (down) and in known pass situations.
It’s something he’s done for a while in his career. That’s really valuable.
Pat will be out there. It’s just a question of how we mix in the rest of the group.
”
The Panthers are also asking Devin Lloyd to absorb yet another new system, and the veteran linebacker says he’s used to the grind by now. This will be his fourth defense heading into his fifth NFL season, and he said the learning process starts with a heavy dose of film, playbook work and drawing things out before it all clicks on the field.
“This is my fourth defense going into my fifth season. So, I’ve had to essentially relearn a new defense every year, and then doing that you kind of find a way that works best for you,” Lloyd said, via the team’s website.
“For me, it’s really just looking at the playbook, looking at the film, looking at the playbook, looking at the film, talking it out with the coaches. I think now I’m at a point where I kind of visualize it in a way where it all makes sense.”
“So for me, I need the reps on the field. That’s probably the most valuable thing.
But I always tell some of the guys in the room, like the best way I learned early on was drawing on the board, drawing the offensive formation, drawing the defensive formation, and then drawing the play, everybody’s assignments. I think that’s one of the best ways to learn, and I’ll do that sometimes.”
Canales said Lloyd made an impression immediately after arriving, both because of what teammates already knew about him and the way he carries himself.
“From the time he got here,” Canales said. “First of all, the guy, his reputation precedes him, so a lot of the guys knew who he was and the type of football that he was capable of playing. Then just the way he carries himself, it’s a posture where you want to respect the guy, and you know that he’s here to work.”
“He’s here to do it together with the guys, and I know they can see that and he fits right into a lot of the guys we have here already and so, really it was an immediate impact.”
In Other News...
Panthers Just Changed Course In Their Quarterback Plans
The Panthers quarterback room had seemed set after Will Griers retirement, with Bryce Young, Kenny Pickett and Haynes King in place and the plan to roll forward with three arms in the room. Instead, Carolina altered course and added another veteran option, giving the staff a little more insulation and a different kind of competition heading into the next stretch of roster decisions.
Kyle Trask now steps into a group that already has a clear starter and two other challengers, which makes the backup picture worth watching as camp and preseason work unfold. The move also marks a noticeable shift from the teams earlier stance on staying put at the position, and it leaves the Panthers with a deeper, more crowded quarterback setup than they expected to have. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers May Finally Have Their Best-Case 2026 Backfield Story
The Panthers backfield picture for 2026 already has a familiar shape, with Chuba Hubbard still the established lead option and Jonathon Brooks trying to force his way into the conversation. Brooks remains the kind of talent Carolina can dream on if the health cooperates, which is why he stands out as the teams most intriguing breakout candidate in a speculative look around the NFC South.
Brooks has been back on the field for offseason work and into camp, and the early signs matter because Carolina does not need him to take over the backfield to make an impact. If he can stay available, there is a real path to a substantial role behind Hubbard, giving the Panthers a chance to turn a promising skill set into one of the more useful one-two punches in the division. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathon Brooks Just Put Panthers Fans On Comeback Watch
Jonathon Brooks was back around the Panthers on the first padded practice of the summer, and just seeing him out there offered a reminder of how long this road has been. The running back spoke about his recovery work after knee surgeries, with Chuba Hubbard emerging as a steady presence through the process, and Brooks also sounded energized by the chance to be part of the teams next live action in the coming Hall of Fame Game.
There was a little bit of star power on the sideline too, with Steve Smith Sr. and Chad Ochocinco around practice, though Brooks missed his window to meet both of them. For Panthers fans, the more important sight was Brooks taking another step forward in a summer that has been about patience, rehab and the hope that his next meaningful football moment is getting closer. [Read more 🡒]