Richard Sherman Talks Top-9 Cornerbacks And Doesn’t Mention Carlton Davis

August 4th, 2022

Lots of Bucs fans like to talk about Carlton Davis being a Top-10 NFL cornerback.

It’s a fun debate. And there’s even a lot of disagreement at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters on the subject.

Former Bucs cornerback Richard Sherman, the renowned Pro Bowler who doubled as an assistant coach with the Bucs last season because he was often injured, was talking top current cornerbacks on a recent edition of the All Things Covered podcast.

Sherman was point blank asked to name the beasts of the 2022 cornerbacks crop leading the game into the next generation.

Davis was not mentioned by Sherman. Below is in which Sherman spit out cornerback names:

Jalen Ramsey, Marshon Lattimore, Stephon Gilmore, Darius Slay, Xavien Howard, J.C. Jackson, A.J. Terrell, Tre’Davious and Jaire Alexander* (*Alexander was mentioned by a podcast co-host but Sherman didn’t voice an objection.)

Perhaps the name that hurts there most is A.J. Terrell, the young Falcons. Like Davis, he’s the only cornerback on that list to have no Pro Bowl on his resume. Terrell was a first-round pick in 2020; Davis was a second-rounder in 2018.

Davis is the 11th-highest paid cornerback in the NFL, and the Joe typing here would say that’s about right on the money as it relates to his value.

Now 25 years old and healthy, this feels like a great year for Davis to take a small step forward and join the elites of the game.

48 Responses to “Richard Sherman Talks Top-9 Cornerbacks And Doesn’t Mention Carlton Davis”

  1. SOEbuc Says:

    He isn’t.

  2. Craig Says:

    Then Davis is going to have to prove Sherman wrong.

    There are some mighty names on that list, but the Bucs have a chance to make a much larger defensive impact, at least on paper.

  3. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    A bit strange to be naming top 9 instead of top 10……..can we all presume that Davis is #10?…….nope.

  4. Ausgust 1976 Buc Says:

    There is a simple way to be mentioned, step up your game CD.
    Hopefully he does, and the secondary as a whole also , because if they do not step up their game, another team will be hoisting the Lombardi next Feb 2023
    With the new blood in the secondary, there is a chance, but we will see. Time for the secondary to pull their weight.

    GO BUCS!!!!

  5. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Also,

    With 32 teams and 2 CBs per team (64)……it’s not so bad to be ranked just outside the top 10.

  6. Ausgust 1976 Buc Says:

    Average is the enemy of excellence, Playing to win, not get by.

    GO BUCS!!!

  7. LVMYBUCS Says:

    Why would he Davis is average at best.

  8. Infomeplease Says:

    If CD intercepted more passes he would have made that list. Don’t forget to RS that is what makes a great corner. CD is near the top in forced incompletetions.This year he yearns to do both. We’ll see.

  9. August 1976 Buc Says:

    My comment about ‘average is the enemy of excellence’ is about mentality. And this secondary has not pulled their weight mostly for a long time. I do not really care where someone is ranked, what matters is winning. As I have stated, if the secondary does not step up, then another team will be hoisting the Lombardi in Feb 2023. The place to step up is in their mentality. Talent is not the issue, they need to step up from the neck up. Talent alone does not determine results, but a right mentality unleashes the ability to consistantly play with excellence.

    GO BUCS!!!!!

  10. Destinjohnny Says:

    Would be between 20-30
    Jason doesn’t have an eye for corners

  11. Topcoach_78 Says:

    I’m a diehard Buccaneers fan and I don’t have a problem with it….

  12. Bobby M. Says:

    He’s not top tier…..solid CB though. The game makes it super difficult to be a shut down guy, league is too pass friendly.

  13. Jack Burton Mercer Says:

    You’re not top 10, or even 15, until you become a good tackler. Davis either can’t, or won’t, tackle.

  14. Beeej Says:

    32 teams, 32 #1 cb’s. He leads the league over the last 3 years in passes defensed, 55% completion rate against. He’s in the top half of that 16

  15. Pewter Warrior Says:

    Is this news? Davis is good, top 10, nah. Top 15, sure. Top 25 definitely.

    Let’s not overvalue players who are good just because, we like this team. Fans already do it with Mike Evans. I hope Davis plays great but he is not top 9 or 10

  16. Buczilla Says:

    Hopefully Davis can prove Sherman wrong in the first four weeks of the season.

  17. teacherman777 Says:

    We should have signed Stephon Gilmore.

    Davis is tough as nails.

    Murphy-Bunting and Dean are soft divas.

    We needed Gilmore to push Murphy-Bunting and Dean.

    Imagine Davis, Gilmore, Bunting, Dean, Logan Ryan, Neal, Edwards, and Winfield.

    That’s a deep secondary.

    I still don’t know who our #4 CB is going to be.

    I warned everyone about Cockrell last season. I told y’all. He’s a great #6 CB but a horrible #4 CB.

    And I was proven right.

    When we had CB injuries, we had to rely on Desir and Cockrell.

    And they were serviceable but not incredible.

    They weee both targeted by other teams.

    And for the second year in a row, we didn’t draft a CB.

    Darden was a dumb pick. We have Miller and Grayson (same type of player)

    Trask was an ego-pick by Arians. He was trying to one-up Tom.

    We should have drafted 2 corners that year. Then they would have pushed Murphy-Bunting and Dean and they would have had a year to develop.

  18. ZZBUC Says:

    I agree….He is not a top 10 CB….

  19. Austin Lewis Says:

    Sherman’s s hater, he’s better than Gilmore who fell off, and He’s tighter coverage than AJ Terrell. Not worried about him at all, he’s a clamp

  20. Austin Lewis Says:

    I love reading your pages joe, but I hate the comment section. Worst fans in sports here

  21. Drebucsfan Says:

    I totally agree with that list tbh, CD is a solid cornerback but to say top 10 is kind of a reach! He’s grade B which we can win with grade B so I’m not hating. I’m sure he hears the noise and hopefully he steps his game up this year

  22. OBVIOUS Says:

    The way I see it he was down and out last year with injuries. And I understand it’s all about “what have you done for me lately”. As I recall he had a hell of a year in 2020! I’m pretty sure this is being based on last year. If so, and if he can stay injury free this year, WATCH OUT! He’ll BE in the top 10.

  23. A Bucs Fan Says:

    Love CD toughness and play style. He is definitely a is a top tier CB. He’d be an elite CB if he would just squeeze the footballs that hit him in the hands.

  24. Nate Says:

    All you gotta do is look at madden ratings he’s low

  25. Wayne PEREZ Says:

    Hes not even in the top 20

  26. Dooley Says:

    None of that top 10 sh*t matters, he’s already signed his second deal and we’re paying him to keep being one of our top 3 CBs.

  27. Hodad Says:

    Yawn.

  28. BillyBucco Says:

    Zyon is going to be good so we are fine at CB.
    Plus Ryan can play corner if needed.

    This team is deep, and exactly who Bowles wants to go to war with.
    That makes me excited.

    Being aggressive on defense is what Ryan already does, and Edwards does too, it’s just their misses look obvious.

    That’s ok to a degree and our defense needs to start leaning towards anticipation more than see and follow.

    If have seen enough catches with our corners two steps behind to last a lifetime.
    They get 30 picks and we win it ALL.

  29. gotbbucs Says:

    What’s the gripe? I mean, I think Sherman is a load mouth and I’m not a fan of his, but he’s not wrong. Davis isn’t a top 10 corner and neither is Dean.

    Both solid players, but if they were that good Bowles wouldn’t be lining them up 10 yards off the ball every play.

  30. ModHairKen Says:

    Well that means nothing.

  31. Joshua porter Says:

    I’m really hoping McCollum takes the top spot by next year… dude is a freak

  32. chark Says:

    hope mccollum wins nickel spot over smb

  33. Marine Buc Says:

    What have you done for me lately?

    Who cares about the last 100 years… Davis has the ability to be a top ten CB in the NFL. If he can stay healthy and stop dropping INTs that hit him in the hands/chest he probably will be rated top ten.

  34. Bucsfanman Says:

    These are always fun conversations and are usually pretty subjective. I think even the most die-hard Bucs fan can admit that Davis is not top 10. That’s OK. Winning games is more important than popularity contests.

    Play well and stay healthy Carlton.

  35. chark Says:

    How do you post comments to this website?? signup login?

  36. steele Says:

    Sherman is largely correct. Bucs had many opportunities to sign better FA CBs but didn’t.

  37. #8 Says:

    Suh.

  38. Beeej Says:

    Gilmore is 31 or 32, about time to move to free safety

  39. Duane Says:

    The best in the game not only defend the pass- they take the ball away. Davis will get his recognition when he gets more of those. His supporting cast is better, so at 25, he should be able to take the next steps in his game. I think he can do it.

  40. Scotty In Fat Antonio Says:

    CATCH THE INTERCEPTION!!!!

  41. 99 55 47 20 Says:

    Not concerned with what Sherm thinks, He was a lil overrated himself

  42. D-Rok Says:

    The ONLY reason I might pause and give some thought to Sherman is that he was on the team last year as a player (?) and technically also as a coach.

    Naw, he wrong, HA HA.

    Naw, he’s prolly correct that Davis isn’t top-9, but Davis does lead the league in passes defended, so there’s that.

  43. gotbbucs Says:

    Leading the league in passes defended means QB’s aren’t scared to throw at you.

  44. Zwak Says:

    But he’s a great coach!

  45. Brandon Says:

    I love Davis… but Dean is better.

  46. D-Rok Says:

    Good counter-point, gotbbucs. If I can read your mind, you are comparing true shut-down corners (Sanders, Revis) of days gone past. Those corners don’t exist anymore due to offense-friendly rules.

    I don’t think any QB is truly “scared” to throw against any corner in the league right now. See: Rams playoff game, Evans vs. Ramsey. Brady wasn’t scared to test arguably a great/good corner.

  47. Listnfrmafar Says:

    Why would he, he saw first hand.

  48. THOMAS PFALZ Says:

    Davis is not a top 10 QB, maybe not even a top 15.