Joe

Tryon-Shoyinka

Tryon-Shoyinka’s 20 quarterback pressures rank third on the team. Although he largely serves as OLB Yaya Diaby’s sidekick, Tryon-Shoyinka does so effectively, picking up five unblocked pressures and four cleanup or pursuit pressures. The Buccaneers notably placed S Jordan Whitehead (pectoral) on injured reserve this week and his primary backup, DB Tykee Smith is sidelined by a knee injury. The Buccaneers also declared DL Earnest Brown, TE Devin Culp, CB Tyrek Funderburk and QB Michael Pratt inactive. Fortunately, LT Tristan Wirfs (knee/foot) is active.

Wirfs has been a limited practice participant for six straight practices. He was unable to play in Week 12 after initially being labeled as doubtful. The team closed Week 13 practices by upgrading him to questionable, so he appears to be progressing in his rehabilitation process despite the practice participation stagnation. Hopefully, the Bucs will get their LT back this week. OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (ankle) is doubtful.

Tryon-Shoyinka’s snap rate fell off over the second half of the 2023 season after starting the year playing nearly two-thirds of the defensive snaps. Former mainstay on the edge for the Buccaneers, Shaquil Barrett, is no longer with the team, meaning Tryon-Shoyinka could see his playing time jump back up in the coming season - a season that could amount to an audition for his next contract.

“I don’t have to say any more about Joe,” coach Bruce Arians said after a monster preseason performance last weekend. “He does what he does.” Edge-rushing teammate Jason Pierre-Paul has been similarly impressed. “Joe is going to be amazing. He’s doing stuff that I’m looking at and thinking, ‘Man, I wish I would of knew that when I was a rookie.” A 2020 opt-out at the University of Washington, Tryon-Shoyinka notched 12.5 sacks in 2019. The Bucs already had one of the league’s best pass rushes. Tryon-Shoyinka providing legitimate heat would be bad, bad news for opposing offenses.

Tryon’s deal includes a $5.48 million signing bonus. The No. 32 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Washington sat out during the team’s mandatory minicamp after undergoing a knee scope, but is expected back later this summer. The Bucs drafted the EDGE rusher after he impressed during his pro day, boasting above average testing marks with a 4.64 second 40-yard dash, 35” vertical jump, a 7.18 second three-cone and 22 bench reps. He opted out of the 2020 college season due to COVID-19.

Tryon will simply “take it easy” until mandatory minicamp, sitting out this week’s rookie minicamp altogether. He has yet to pass a physical since getting the scope done but is, per Arians, “very close to getting on the field.” If healthy, he’ll work as a rotational player in year one since the team returned all 11 starters on the defensive side of the ball.

A three-sport standout, Tryon (6'5, 259) was rated as a three-star recruit and the 48th best outside linebacker in the 2017 prep cycle. He redshirted before playing in a backup role for most of 2018. Tryon finally cashed in on his impressive physical traits in 2019, recording six of his nine career sacks in his final five games of the year en route to being named second team All Pac 12. His final line includes eight sacks, 41 tackles, and some inspired edge play. He opted out last season due to medical concerns, leaving just one year of starting tape to show what he is capable of. He boasted above average testing marks with a 4.64 second 40-yard dash, 35” vertical jump, a 7.18 second three-cone and 22 bench reps. His 10-yard (1.61s) and 20-yard dash (2.69s) splits were top notch and a 9.38 RAS puts him among the best in the class athletically.

Tryon (6'5/266) was penalized early in the third quarter, and as a result he will also miss the first half of Washington’s September 28 game against USC. That’s a big matchup for the Huskies, as Chris Petersen’s team has already lost a conference game, and Washington won’t have one of its best defenders for the first half.

Tryon (6'5/266) was not one of the more highly-recruited defenders in the Washington defense, but he was one of the more effective at the end of the year, and he finished the season with 20 tackles and a sack. The sack total may not be impressive, but Tryon was able to generate consistent pressure that allowed the Washington secondary do what it does best. He was one of the team MVPs this spring, so don’t be surprised if Tryon is a household name -- or close to it -- by the end of 2019.