Staying or going?

The saga of YaYa Diaby continues.

The trade deadline is in nine days, Nov. 10, a week from Tuesday. Bucs outside linebacker YaYa Diaby’s rookie contract expires in February.

Prior to last week, YaYa had gone 11 games with a grand total of one sack. That’s not the way to make money. Or keep a job.

Since he had 7.5 sacks his rookie year, it’s been a steady downhill slide for YaYa. Not exactly the best way to build up leverage in contract talks.

YaYa sure hasn’t been helped by a coach who openly disdains sacks.

But young edge rushers will get interest from other teams. Especially a young edge rusher who demonstrated three years ago he has some ability to work with.

Even Joe Tryon-Shoyinka found work after the Bucs turned him loose, even though JTS rarely demonstrated anything to work with.

Then last week happened. YaYa completely blew up with three sacks at Carolina. Surely that had to open eyes with suits across the NFL with teams hungry for an edge rusher.

YaYa, all of a sudden, might have trade value. If the Bucs are sellers. With a win today, the Bucs might instead be buyers.

Appearing last week on “Up and Adams” hosted by NFL it-girl Kay Adams, YaYa wasn’t talking trade. But he was talking about how he doesn’t want to leave Tampa Bay.

Adams was pestering him about contract talks with the Bucs. It doesn’t sound like there are any.

Kay Adams: How long after these three sacks, I mean, did you text Jason? Did your agent text Jason? Do you want me to text Jason?

YaYa Diaby: Nah, nah. We just have to keep doing it from this game.

Adams: He said he wants you in Tampa!

Diaby: Like I told you last time, I don’t want to be nowhere else, man. I want to be in Tampa. Whenever that time comes I know Jason is going to make the right decision. For me, I have to help him make it easier on his end.

That’s just it. Has a decision been made by Licht? Was one three-sack game enough to motivate Licht to shell out some Team Glazer loot so that YaYa doesn’t hit the free agent market this winter?

A throwaway item from well-plugged-in Jeremy Fowler of ESPN last week seems to suggest Licht isn’t motivated to keep Diaby, or at least, not currently.

Tampa is not poised to pay the 2027 free agent…

In fact, Fowler believes YaYa might be on the trade block, typing there was a 35 percent chance YaYa would be swapped. This was typed before the win at Carolina, and Fowler added a win over Carolina might move Licht to instead keep YaYa.

Fowler added that the Bucs may already have decided that YaYa’s replacement is on the roster. And that man currently leads the Bucs in sacks with four. That would be David Walker.

With Walker blowing up and the Bucs having invested a high draft pick (and the requisite money) in Rueben Bain, do the Bucs have the money budgeted for YaYa?

Or, with Diaby waking up last week from a too-long slumber, are the Bucs reassessing finances?

Also, what about Cody Mauch? He too is a pending free agent and Joe knows for a fact Licht is quite high on the Bucs’ offensive line as a unit (higher than many Bucs fans).

Joe has a hunch that the Bucs have budgeted money for either YaYa or Mauch, but perhaps not both.

If YaYa plays well today and the Bucs win, Joe suspects the Bucs won’t be eager to move YaYa.

YaYa Diaby Contract extension incoming? 🤔

The latest from YaYa himself:

LIVE NOW for the YT EXCLUSIVE interview ⬇️https://t.co/cF7q8m3xXU@greatyaya4 | @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/ctqHxxO6zh

— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) October 28, 2026

 

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ESPN: A 35 Percent Chance YaYa Diaby Is Traded