With key secondary departures, Todd Bowles confirms the Buccaneers are actively seeking new cornerback talent to bolster their defense.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offseason is highlighted by the departures of two franchise legends, Mike Evans and Lavonte David, who signed elsewhere and retired from the Bucs after 12 and 14 seasons, respectively.
Tampa has made a number of additions to its roster as well, with linebackers Alex Anzalone and Christian Rozeboom, along with defensive linemen Al-Quadin Muhammad and A'Shawn Robinson.
One area of concern remaining for the Bucs is the secondary, which lost Jamel Dean at the start of free agency to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Dean spent all seven seasons of his pro career in Tampa after being selected in the third round in 2019 out of Auburn. He played a part in helping Tampa Bay win Super Bowl LV in 2021.
Dean had established himself as an elite defensive back, making a living in one-on-one coverage on the outside. Dean posted an 86.9 coverage grade last season, ranking fourth among all qualifying cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus.
Losing Dean is a big hit to a Bucs secondary that also lost Christian Izien to the Detroit Lions in free agency. Izien had been a versatile piece in head coach Todd Bowles' defensive scheme, lining up in the slot, playing on the outside and taking snaps at safety since signing with Tampa as an undrafted free agent before the 2023 season.
ESPN's Jenna Laine interviewed Bowles at the NFL owners meetings taking place in Phoenix, Arizona, this week, and asked what he thought about the state of the Bucs' secondary.
"We definitely need another cornerback," Bowles said. "Whether it's a veteran or whether it's a draftable pick remains to be seen, and we'll kind of go from there. But we'd like to add one or two to the mix."
This is an honest and fair assessment from Bowles, who is left with a much younger and less experienced secondary after these recent departures.
As of now, Tampa Bay would go into the season with two second-year starters at cornerback, lining up alongside Zyon McCollum, who signed a three-year, $48 million extension last September.
Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish are the two sophomores, both coming off vastly different rookie campaigns.
Morrison, who Tampa took with the No. 53 overall selection last draft, was limited by injury, playing just 10 games and recording 26 tackles and four pass deflections.
However, Morrison has shown the ability to produce, finishing his Notre Dame career with nine interceptions, tied for fifth-most in program history.
Parrish, who the Bucs landed in the third round out of Kansas State, ended the year as one of Tampa's most consistent defensive players.
The former Wildcat standout finished the year with two interceptions, 76 combined tackles, seven passes defensed and two sacks, picking off former NFL MVP Josh Allen for his first career takeaway.
While Morrison and Parrish both project as long-term options for the Bucs, thrusting them into the starting role alongside another relatively new starter in McCollum isn't ideal. Expect the Bucs, as Bowles noted, to shore up the secondary in the draft or waning month of free agency.
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