Outside linebacker Jack Pyburn will not be returning to the Bucs. After signing with Tampa Bay as an undrafted free agent this training camp, he was cut on Sunday as the team trimmed their roster down to 53-players. The Bucs would have liked to add him to the practice squad, but the former LSU edge rusher was claimed off of waivers by the Kansas City Chiefs, meaning he’ll be going to their active roster.
Pyburn was one of the more controversial cuts amongst Bucs fans when the moves were announced throughout the day. Many felt he had done enough to make the team. Pyburn recorded four sacks in three preseason games, with a pair of two-sack performances in Week 1 against the Jets and Week 3 at Jacksonville. Ironically, the one game in which he didn’t record a sack was against his new team, the Chiefs, when the Bucs hosted them in Week 2. He did record three tackles in the game.
Bucs OLB Jack Pyburn – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect
There was a lot of buzz around Pyburn for several reasons this camp. He was one of 16 rookie players that filed a lawsuit against the NCAA that would grant him another year of eligibility at the college level despite already being in the NFL playing preseason games. At the time, Pyburn was still focused on making Tampa Bay’s roster and would worry about the legal part of it at a later date.
Should The Bucs Have Kept Jack Pyburn?
Had Pyburn been on this team a season ago, there’s a chance that he would’ve made the 53-man roster with preseason performances. But the Tampa Bay completely revamped their outside linebacker room this year, making it very difficult to find a spot.
Last season, the big acquisition was Haason Reddick coming in to be a starter, who did not end up having the premiere pass rushing abilities from his prime that the Bucs had hoped for. Plus, fourth round pick David Walker tore his ACL on the third day of practice, meaning that Chris Braswell and Anthony Nelson were primary backups to Yaya Diaby. With the looks of that group, Pyburn could’ve been on it.
Fast forward a season and the Bucs drafted Rueben Bain Jr. with their first round pick and signed veteran Al Quadin-Muhammad to be the third string edge rusher. With Walker fully recovered, he dominated throughout all of training, ensuring he’ll have a pivotal role with this team. That left the veteran Super Bowl champion Nelson as the fifth stringer, and given his experience and overall performance in this camp, he was going to make the team as well. Braswell, at this point was a non factor for the team.
Bucs OT Luke Foerner and OLB Jack Pyburn – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
This put Pyburn in a position where at best, he’d be the sixth outside linebacker in a deep room that may not even hold onto that number. Yes, Pyburn was exceptional in the preseason games, but he was doing in the second halves of games against fourth and fifth stringers. He can only go in when the coaches tell him to, however, there was a reason why he wasn’t getting as many looks.
Where he needed to improve more was showing up with consistent practices in camp. There weren’t many standout moments day in and day out, whereas players like Walker and Nelson were able to make plays throughout it. Walker in particular was able to take over practices with several sacks. Pyburn was able to do so.
With that said, Pyburn gets a brand new opportunity with a tough Chiefs defense that knows how to win championships. Kansas City took rookie R Mason Thomas out of Oklahoma in the second round of this year’s draft, but they are still banged up at the position, opening up and opportunity for Pyburn.
Bucs OLB Jack Pyburn – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect
It’s interesting to see what would’ve happened if Pyburn didn’t get claimed off of waivers. Would he have pursued college football again? Would he have went to the Bucs’ practice squad?
Each side is in a good spot as Pyburn gets to continue his playing career in the NFL, and the Bucs are as deep as they’ve been in years at outside linebacker.