Chris Braswell Is A Perfect Fit In Bucs’ Culture

Braswell was able to play for three years over at Alabama, but he truly just has one year of meaningful production, which came last season and made him worthy of being a second-round draft pick. The 6-foot-3, 259-pound edge rusher had a breakthrough campaign in 2023 with 42 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, eight sacks, three forced fumbles and a pick-six.

Braswell had to sit and wait behind a pair of first-round picks in pass rushers Will Anderson Jr. and Dallas Turner, who were each SEC Defensive Players of the Year during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, respectively.

It is Alabama after all, and Nick Saban would traditionally get the best of the best when it came to defensive linemen. There was premiere talent at every position.

But instead of just packing up and leaving right away for the opportunity to start elsewhere, Braswell stuck with it, got better and waited his turn until be eventually became the guy for the Crimson Tide.

That’s the kind of attitude that the Bucs want on their roster.

“For me, I always remain patient, working hard, and keeping my head down,” Chris Braswell said after he was drafted by Tampa Bay. “It’s one of the philosophies that I live by, so, you know, fighting through some adversity doesn’t really affect me. I’m a really hard worker, so I just like to keep my head down, keep working hard, and just take advantage of any opportunity that’s given to me.”

Braswell will join a team at a position in which he’ll have to continue to fight if he wants playing time on defense.

As far as depth goes for the Bucs, outside linebacker might be where they’re deepest – and also the most unproven. Including Braswell, Tampa Bay also has YaYa Diaby, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Anthony Nelson, newcomer Randy Gregory, Markees Watts and Jose Ramirez in contention. Diaby is set to start on one side, but it’s really open for anyone else to start on the other. With the exception of Ramirez, who was on the practice squad a year ago, and Gregory, who is joining Tampa Bay this season, everyone else has had their moments with the Bucs.

Chris Braswell Is Looking To Add To The Bucs’ Culture

Even looking past outside linebacker, Chris Braswell enters a team chock full of big-time leaders and interesting personalities. Mike Evans and Lavonte David have been leading the Bucs for over a decade with Chris Godwin and Vita Vea not far behind. Godwin and Antoine Winfield Jr. just became team captains a season ago, and Baker Mayfield, who was also a team captain, has fit in exceptionally well after one season with a personality that has ignited group.

Braswell, who blazed a 4.6 time in the 40-yard dash, including an impressive 1.59 10-yard split, is excited to join Tampa Bay and can’t wait to to be a part of a Bucs team in which everyone plays for each other.

“I bring discipline and accountability,” Braswell said. “I want to hold my teammates accountable, and I want them to hold me accountable, as well. Just overall, [I] want to lead by example and also take knowledge from veteran guys who are there, veteran edge rushers and just everybody to pick their brain, [and] see how they break down tackles, just go about the game as an NFL player.”