The $3.9 Million Sack Artist
Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon recently labeled Diaby the “Most Underpaid Player” on the Buccaneers roster for 2026, and the numbers back up the claim. Diaby is set to count just $3.9 million against the cap this fall. For a player who has racked up 19.0 total sacks and 47 quarterback hits over his first three pro seasons, that figure is nearly highway robbery. While peers like Jaelan Phillips just secured $30 million annually with the Panthers, Diaby is producing similar heat for pennies on the dollar.
The 2023 third-round pick hasn’t just been lucky; he’s been a machine. He hasn’t missed a single game in three years, starting 41 consecutive contests. In 2025, Diaby finished 6th in the NFL in total pressures when facing 1-on-1 blocking. He isn’t just a rotational piece anymore. He is the engine of the Tampa Bay front four. You can see the shift in how teams block him; last season, the double-teams started coming earlier and more often, yet he still found his way to the backfield.
“I know the contract stuff is there, but I’m just hungry. I came into this league as a third-rounder with a chip on my shoulder, and that hasn’t changed. Every time I line up, I’m trying to prove I’m the best on the field, regardless of the paycheck.”
— YaYa Diaby, Buccaneers Edge Rusher
Market Value and the 2027 Horizon
Buccaneers General Manager Jason Licht knows the clock is ticking. During a recent sit-down at One Buc Palace, Licht noted that Diaby’s production “stacks up with the best” in the league. With the 2026 salary cap cracking the $300 million mark, the price for elite pass rushers is skyrocketing. If Diaby hits double-digit sacks in 2026—a feat he nearly touched as a rookie—his camp will likely seek a deal in the $20 million to $25 million per year range next spring.
The Bucs have room to breathe for now, thanks to a Luke Goedeke restructure that opened $26 million in 2026 space. However, extending a premier talent like Diaby early might be the only way to avoid a bidding war in 2027. For now, Tampa Bay will enjoy the NFL’s best defensive bargain while the rest of the league watches Diaby’s price tag climb with every snap.
