Bucs’ Gholston Picked Great Time For Best Game Of Season
One of the key cogs in the Bucs’ offseason plans to make one last run at a Super Bowl during the “Tom Brady” era was to re-sign veteran defensive lineman Will Gholston. Gholston who had spent the entirety of his nine-year career in Tampa Bay was brought back on a one-year, $4.5 million contract after setting a career high of 4.5 sacks in 2021. The Bucs believed that the 31-year-old Gholston was still playing at a high level as they committed to him being a part of their 2022 defensive line rotation while not pursuing other 2021 pieces like Jason Pierre-Paul and Ndamukong Suh.
Unfortunately for both Gholston and the Bucs, his play in 2022 has taken a step back from the established levels that made him a fan favorite over the past decade. Averaging less than 30 snaps per game this year, Gholston who made a name for himself as a run-defending 4i linemen has seen himself get pushed off the line of scrimmage more often than in years past. Additionally, his ability to rush the passer has all but evaporated in 2022. Heading into the Bucs week 17 matchup with the Panthers Gholston had registered just seven quarterback pressures on 191 pass rush snaps for the season according to Pro Football Focus. That 3.7% pressure rate would be the lowest of his career outside of the 2017 season.
Bucs Defensive Line Hasn’t Played To Its Potential
When the Bucs built out their new-look interior defensive line room this year many, me included, thought the unit could be formidable. With Vita Vea occupying the superstar role, and Akiem Hicks taking on the “extremely talented if he can just stay healthy” sidekick, Gholston would provide the consistent depth spot just behind those two.
Add in rookie Logan Hall as the “raw ball of tools” and the high floor of Rakeem Nunez-Roches and you had enough skill sets blending together to give opposing offensive lines fits. But almost none of that has come to fruition.
Vea’s pressure numbers have stabilized, but not ascended, and he has progressed throughout the season from regression early on to good later in the season. But he has also dealt with injuries that have knocked him out of just about three full games recently.
Hicks dealt with his own injuries for much of the early part of the season. Since returning to the lineup in Week 9 he has been a consistent run-defender who has allowed linebackers Devin White and Lavonte David to play fast and furious behind him. The improvement in the Bucs’ run defense has been noticeable with Hicks on the field, but he has made little-to-no-impact as a pass rusher himself.
Hall has proven to be a complete project this year (as many interior defensive linemen are these days). The Bucs haven’t been able to trust him to log significant quality snaps. Hall is still working on transforming his body, as he played college as a hybrid edge/interior lineman. At his listed playing weight of 283 pounds on his 6-foot-6 frame he is getting bullied by opposing offensive linemen. The hope is he can level-up in 2023 with an additional 10-20 pounds of muscle added to his mass without sacrificing the explosiveness he showed coming out of Houston.
Nunez-Roches and South Florida great Dedrin Senat have provided high-floor depth production along the interior defensive line that most didn’t expect at the beginning of this year. And it has been needed in the absence of impact the rest of the line has left.
Bucs DL Gholston Was Key In Helping Stop The Panthers
But on Sunday Gholston was able to re-access the level of play that he had previously established over his 10-year career with Tampa Bay. Gholston was everywhere in Tampa Bay’s 30-24 win over Carolina. While he only logged 24 snaps, he made each and every one of them count. Gholston registered three solo tackles, added two more assisted tackles, had two tackles for loss, generated two quarterback pressures – a quarterback hurry and a quarterback hit. The man was a menace throughout the game. He was consistently in the Panthers backfield and no matter what Carolina tried to do they were unable to solve the Bucs veteran defender.
On this play Gholston is able to manipulate the left guard at their impact point and toss him to the ground quickly. He is able to keep his eyes in the backfield while doing so which allows him to be ready to pounce on the running back’s cut back for a tackle for loss.
Then you have this two-play sequence on the next drive. On the first play you can see that despite his veteran status, Gholston never takes a play off. He chases down Panthers receiver D.J. Moore on the reverse, crashing into Moore with wreck less abandon.
On the very next play Gholston uses his long arms to control and move the left guard while cutting off running back D’Onta Formean’s ability to move the run outside. Once Foreman makes the decision to cut up field, Gholston was ready and waiting to take him down for a short gain.
As a result of the inspired play of Gholston and Tampa Bay’s defense, Carolina only ran for 74 yards on 22 carries (3.4 avg.). The Panthers entered the game averaging 188 yards per game on the ground over the last three weeks.
Gholston Will Be A Key Part Of Any Post-Season Run
If Tampa Bay is going to make any noise in the upcoming playoffs it will require every part of their roster to fulfill their 90th percentile outcomes. For a Bucs pass rush that will be without star outside linebacker Shaq Barrett that means every other player stepping up to be the best version of themselves.
Vea has the potential to be a game-wrecker. Hicks can still flash that ability as well, although I don’t think anyone can count on him to do so at this point. Edge rusher Joe Tryon-Shoyinka has shown himself to be the most consistent pass rusher on the team in Barrett’s absence. And outside linebacker Anthony Nelson has shown a penchant for big plays in key moments.
In addition to all of these players being the best versions of themselves the Bucs will need to rely on Gholston to give them the high-end production he showed Sunday against Carolina to piece together a playoff pass rush that will help keep possible opponents like Jalen Hurts, Dak Prescott, or Kirk Cousins on the ropes. Gholston will need to be able to provide 25-30 snaps per game of strong run defense coupled with an ability to penetrate the pocket in passing situations.
