The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are turning to a familiar face in hopes of jumpstarting a defense that’s been stuck in neutral. After a humbling loss to the last-place New Orleans Saints, the Bucs are bringing back veteran edge rusher Jason Pierre-Paul - a move that’s as much about leadership and locker room presence as it is about sacks and pressures.
Pierre-Paul, 36, is signing to the Buccaneers’ practice squad after a workout with the team on Monday. He hasn’t played since 2023, but he’s not exactly a stranger to Tampa - or to big moments. His last stint with the Bucs included a Super Bowl run where the defense, with JPP as a key piece, famously shut down Patrick Mahomes and the high-powered Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.
Now, the Bucs are hoping lightning can strike twice.
Let’s be clear: this isn’t about nostalgia. This is about a team trying to stop the bleeding.
Tampa Bay’s pass rush has been one of the biggest disappointments of the season, and the numbers - and the eye test - back that up. Despite making a splash in the offseason by signing Haason Reddick, one of the league’s premier sack artists in recent years, the Bucs haven’t been able to generate consistent pressure.
Reddick, brought in to be the game-changer off the edge, has largely been a non-factor during the team’s midseason slide.
Sunday’s loss to the Saints was just the latest chapter in a frustrating season. The defense struggled to make Jameis Winston uncomfortable, and the Bucs walked off the field with more questions than answers. So now, they’re turning to a player who not only knows the system under Todd Bowles but has been part of a winning culture in Tampa.
Pierre-Paul’s impact might not show up immediately on the stat sheet - and after nearly two years away from the game, expectations should be tempered. But his presence could still mean something.
He’s a respected voice in the locker room, a player Bowles trusts, and someone who understands what it takes to win in this league. At this point in the season, that kind of intangible matters.
This isn’t the first time the Bucs have tried to recapture some old magic with a veteran reunion. Last year, they brought back Shaq Barrett after his release from the Dolphins, hoping he could give the defense a lift. That move didn’t make a major impact, but it showed a willingness by the front office to keep swinging.
And that’s what this is - a swing. A calculated, low-risk gamble on a player who once helped anchor a championship defense. The Bucs aren’t just hoping Pierre-Paul can help on the field; they’re hoping he can help reset the tone off it.
With Todd Bowles feeling the pressure and the season teetering, Tampa Bay is in need of a spark. Jason Pierre-Paul might not be the long-term answer, but right now, the Bucs are looking for anything - or anyone - who can help get them back on track.