Buccaneers and former first round pick still need each other despite recent news

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Washington Huskies edge rusher Joe Tryon-Shoyinka with the 32nd pick of the 2021 NFL Draft.  The defending Super Bowl champion Bucs were looking for a young player who could eventually take the torch from Jason Pierre-Paul and keep the pressure coming on opposing quarterbacks.  

Unfortunately, that didn't come to pass over his first three seasons.  Tryon-Shoyinka has managed to accumulate 13 sacks during that span, which covers 51 games not including the playoffs.  A career pressure rate of 9.9% is rather pedestrian as well. 

As such, the team declined this week to pick up his fifth-year option.  As such, he's scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2024 season.  However, things might not all be lost between the two sides.  There's actually a potential silver lining for both.  

Tryon-Shoyinka will be on a prove it deal in his fourth and final year under contract with the Bucs now.  The Bucs have undoubtedly tried everything to get their first-round pick going.  Perhaps a universal motivator of contract and money will be one to light a spark. 

It obviously works out well for the Buccaneers.  According to OverTheCap.com, the fifth-year option for Tryon-Shoyinka would have cost them $13.25 million if they had picked up his option.  That money isn't warranted for his production at this point. 

However, there's still the opportunity for that to change.  Tryon-Shoyinka will get the chance to show he's a late bloomer.  Sometimes it takes some time for the light bulb to come on and for the productivity to show up.  And if he can increase his production in 2024, he could have opportunities beyond just Tampa Bay. He could, instead of playing on a fifth-year option, lock in a new long-term deal somewhere in 2025.  

Or, perhaps, there could be a new deal reached between the two.  The Bucs have only Yaya Diaby, Markees Watts, and Jose Ramirez under contract beyond the 2024 season among their outside linebackers.  There's clearly a need at the position, and the Bucs could really use a breakout from their former first rounder.  

The bottom line is that, if the Buccaneers are going to pay Tryon-Shoyinka, he's got to show he's worth it.  And if he can, then his continuation in Tampa Bay is a logical fit for both sides.