One Last Priority To Meet
May 31st, 2025
Who backs up Jamel Dean when he’s hurt?
Boy, the Bucs must have a helluva roster if this is the only task left in building their 2025 team.
Kevin Patra of NFL.com thinks all the Bucs need to focus on between now and opening day is figuring out the depth chart for the secondary.
If this is all the Bucs need to worry about, should Bucs fans start looking for February airline deals to Silicon Valley?
Top priority: Determine the pecking order in the secondary.
The Bucs have suggested they will move Tykee Smith — who played well as a rookie nickel last season — to safety opposite Antoine Winfield Jr. to help ensure Smith stays on the field in base sets. Todd Bowles reiterated this week that Smith is a safety who will, on occasion, play nickel. Moving Smith around will give Bowles a chess piece to work with. Rookie Jacob Parrish is an option to take over Smith’s nickel spot, and Bowles suggested Zyon McCollum could also move inside. Tampa used its second- and third-round picks in this year’s draft on corners Benjamin Morrison and Parrish, respectively, to upgrade a unit that both struggled at times in 2024 and dealt with injuries. If Morrison and Parrish are ready to play right away, Smith’s transition to safety will be easier. If the nickel crew struggles, Bowles might have to adjust on the fly, potentially adding another veteran safety to the mix.
Joe knows the secondary will be deeper, but better is a maybe. But deeper usually means better.
Will the real Antoine Winfield return? Can Tykee Smith both stay healthy and play safety? Doing so in college and doing so in the NFL are two different animals. Joe does like the “dawg” in him, though.
If one is going to take Patra’s word as gospel, the key element is getting either rookie cornerback, Benjamin Morrison or Jacob Parrish, ready to start for the injured Jamel Dean. No, Dean isn’t injured — yet. But he will be.
Joe’s priority would be finding another inside linebacker. Let’s be real: If Anthony Walker was all that, would Miami have let him walk?
And until proven otherwise, SirVocea Dennis also is an injury waiting to happen.
Please stay healthy, Lavonte David.
May 31st, 2025 at 12:35 am
If Smith CAN play safety, then things are looking way up! IMO, Bucs still need a little depth at that position. Bringing back Bryce Hall was a good signing. Secondary is much deeper than last year.
What scares me is the linebacker depth. I hope Jason is able to get some depth there once teams start to cut players to get down to their roster.
Jason really does impress me with his skills. Can we get an appreciation Licht post? haha
May 31st, 2025 at 12:56 am
Until proven otherwise, LB is beyond a doubt the weakest link in the entirety of the roster; unfortunately.
May 31st, 2025 at 2:47 am
Exactly Joe! The priority is ILB. The depth is atrocious. The season hangs on LVD staying healthy.
SirV desperately needs to stay healthy because he has shown flashes of being very good. Walker is average at best.
What do they have besides them?
May 31st, 2025 at 3:13 am
It’s not the “pecking order” but the Bucs need a starter at nickel. That is the only thing missing/unknown as every other position is set and most have good depth. My money is on Izien because of the takeaways he can generate. Hoping this rookie Parrish is good enough to push for snaps though.
May 31st, 2025 at 3:15 am
Not sure why but my comments don’t post???
May 31st, 2025 at 4:04 am
SVD can be a real playmaker. LVD still is. Walker is better than what we had last year and Deion Jones is an experienced player they apparently think can help. The ILB situation is far ahead of where it was last year. There apparently sore optimism about the Bullock kid, UDFA from Nebraska. The sky isn’t falling.
May 31st, 2025 at 4:38 am
Nailed it joe.!
The dude to back up Dean is the whole point of drafting two corners as far as I’m concerned. I still do not like moving Smith but if he can play safety and we can find yet another nickel? Great.
Go Bucs!
May 31st, 2025 at 5:53 am
Trade for ramsey have him play safety…when teans make cuts find you s gem linebacker…or trade for s1 you like
May 31st, 2025 at 6:05 am
‘Joe’s priority would be finding another inside linebacker. Let’s be real: If Anthony Walker was all that, would Miami have let him walk?’
Just a suspicion Joe, but something tells me that you’re not thrilled about our MLB position. Neither am I.
Walker did very good on his first 4-year contract with the Colts after missing 5 games as a rookie (hamstring problem), but missed a lot of games over the next 3 years with the Browns (missed 23 games in 3 years) but played well when not hurt. Also played well in Miami last year, but he ended the season by missing 3 of their last 6 games due to hamstring & knee injuries.
I’ve said before that I like SVD, BUT … his stats & availability in his 2-years here aren’t very impressive. Like you wrote Joe … ‘until proven otherwise, SirVocea Dennis also is an injury waiting to happen.’
Deion Jones played a bunch in his first 6 years in Atlanta (and was very good), but in the last 3 years has only started 8 games out of the 26 games he’s suited up for. Of course, that’s with 3 different teams (Browns, Panthers & Bucs) that it looks like he was only with for parts of the year.
Sure do wish we’d drafted a Linebacker. MLB could easily become our Achilles Heel, forcing a lot of other adjustments in the defensive scheme (like last year?).
May 31st, 2025 at 6:34 am
“No Dean isn’t injured yet, but he will be.” I have such a huge problem with this. The problem is that it’s true and we’re all just resigned to that fact.
At some point being injured isn’t just bad luck. No man is created equal. That’s the biggest lie ever told. Some people just have a proclivity for getting hurt. Some people can lift heavy weights their whole lives and never get feel pain and some have a bad back by the time they hit 30. I wish there was a way to determine a players reliability in the draft. Maybe our future A.I overlords can figure that out..
May 31st, 2025 at 6:47 am
“Struggled at times”. I don’t know who he is but he must be a stand up comedian. The corners were awful last year. They couldn’t cover me if I’d been on the field.
May 31st, 2025 at 7:16 am
That other inside linebacker Joe references could potentially be a defensive back in obvious passing situations. McCollum has even suggested it could be him.
May 31st, 2025 at 7:22 am
Why no mention of Christian Izien at nickel? He was decent when he started at nickel. Certainly he would be better now with more knowledge of the position. I like Izien at nickel with Parrish in the mix and Tykee Smith as a full time safety.
May 31st, 2025 at 7:25 am
Colorado’s safety Shilo Sanders so far looks like a good pickup for the Bucs. He should compete as a backup safety. Hoping he makes the roster.
May 31st, 2025 at 7:49 am
At least this year there are possibilities and reason to hope for the D. Can’t wait for the opening of camp!
May 31st, 2025 at 7:53 am
What we really need is a new DC.
That guy stinks!
May 31st, 2025 at 7:56 am
So many things have to align properly to get to and win a SB. Right players, coaches, calls on the field, health, execution, game plan, budget, a lucky bounce, ect. The best teams put themselves into position to capitalize on those opportunities. All it takes is one little slip up and you get destroyed in the NFL. The season is long and every year you see a few teams get hot and aligned towards the end. Hope Bucs are one of them.
May 31st, 2025 at 8:04 am
Drafting two CBs in rounds 2/3, adding FA Vildor and getting Hall back will absolutely upgrade our defensive backfield this year.
Plus – replacing the weak JTS with Reddick will also help with pressuring the QB.
May 31st, 2025 at 8:13 am
Last season we ran out of viable options.This year we have more options than we know what to do with. That’s a much better starting point. The depth behind VV and David is more of a concern to me. The solution there has to be in a trade or free agency pickup, if no surprise gems show upon our undrafted signings. I’m optimistic about this team and this organization. The list of possible solutions changes every day, but I’m confident the Bucs have it handy.
May 31st, 2025 at 8:16 am
Its interesting to see if players like JTS will sink or swim in another environment.
May 31st, 2025 at 8:42 am
MLB was the risk last season and is again this season. Will be interested in seeing whether the UDFA ILB from Nebraska is anything more than practice squad player. And there’s still time to pick someone up.
May 31st, 2025 at 8:43 am
I think our weakest link is not having a huge NT to rotate with Vea.
Vea needs a clone. He plays less than 60% of the snaps.
Greg Gaines is a good guy. But he’s small.
Watson will not be ready. He needs a redshirt season.
We really need to look for and invest good money into another NT/DT.
It’s essential! And what if Vea goes down?
We will have huge issues!
Find a massive DT/NT asap!
May 31st, 2025 at 9:18 am
I don’t understand having Zyon play nickel. He’s quite good where he is, esp for a second year player
May 31st, 2025 at 9:22 am
the way I look at it Joe, the fins let a pass first LB go and added a run first LB in Britt, so maybe both teams are trying to steer closer to the middle and eliminate a weakness in the process. if walker is as good against the pass as britt is against the run, he could be useful. he could also be a pass down specialist, or share the spot with SVD to keep him upright a full season. whatever the case may be, hoping he’s at least good at what he’s supposed to be good at, playing the pass, as we’re prolly pretty good at stopping the run no matter who’s in that LB spot
May 31st, 2025 at 9:27 am
Inwoodjeremy I agree. He was talked about as weak the whole time he was here
May 31st, 2025 at 9:34 am
I don’t understand Bowles need to have defenders play multiple positions. Isn’t the idea to master 1? There is a saying that maybe coach hasn’t heard that most of us have. Shouldn’t we just have a nickel corner back and his back up? Shouldn’t we just have a safety and a back up? We did just draft 2 corners. I understand coach likes exotic looks to confuse a qb but still
May 31st, 2025 at 10:09 am
Joe, at this point in our roster build, we don’t need to bring in anyone else at any position. We’re set.
It’s Superbowl or bust.
May 31st, 2025 at 10:19 am
Luckily, Todd will surprise everyone by not declaring a depth chart. He’ll trot people out there, shuffle them around so opposing QBs will be confused.
Of course, so are the defenders, but at least maybe the wide open underneath passes can go for 12 yards instead of 18 yards.
May 31st, 2025 at 10:48 am
Please,please, please no JRamsey. We have developed a team that consist of team players n men of character. We do not need a Primadonna on this team. He would be toxic for the Buccaneer men we have in the locker room.
Bucky-Humble n team player
Godwin/Evans -Humble n team player
VV-Humble n team player
Lavonte-Humble n team player
Winfield-Humble n team player
Ya Ya-Humble n team player
Otton-Humble n team player
McCollum-Humble n team player
Mayfield-Humble n team player
Rachaad White-extremely Humble n team player
Kancey-Humble n team player
We have no room for Jalen Ramsey n no way to fit him in. He would deter the trend.
May 31st, 2025 at 10:51 am
I agree with Teacherman. DL depth seems thin and is more concerning than ILB to me.
May 31st, 2025 at 11:03 am
Jwg813 Says:
May 31st, 2025 at 9:34 am
This isn’t a Bowles thing. It’s an NFL thing. Versatility is something that all teams value. You have to have backup plans in the event of injuries. And defenses line up in multiple looks to hopefully confuse offenses.
As usual, those who want to complain about Bowles will try to invent a new complaint when the other ones are tired.
May 31st, 2025 at 11:03 am
ILB is a huge need Joe. This why I was pounding the table for jahid. Honestly we could have used him over EE. only time will tell if the Bucs made a right move. Still could have gotten the corners at the same spot and grabbed a receiver in the 4th. The m not sold on SVD or walker. I say this with the most respect but can’t keep putting all the weight on LVD. My guy LVD is a stud but man it’s just asking for trouble and the middle of the defense struggled so bad last year.
May 31st, 2025 at 11:28 am
“He isn’t injured yet” 😂
Dean is on Pre-IR.
May 31st, 2025 at 2:28 pm
ALung Pres Bowles and Dave can’t take a dump without blaming Bowles for being constipated.
May 31st, 2025 at 2:57 pm
Im hoping by the end of the season that Dean is our 4th best corner when healthy.
May 31st, 2025 at 3:37 pm
@FilthyAnimal
“The sky isn’t falling.”
While I totally agree I also smiile at the fact that if half of these posters were truly honest they’d change their posting names to “Chicken Little”! Heck many of them have so many sock puppets they could just add another more accurate name to their list.
May 31st, 2025 at 7:21 pm
Jack Burton Mercer Says:
May 31st, 2025 at 6:47 am
“Struggled at times”. I don’t know who he is but he must be a stand up comedian. The corners were awful last year. They couldn’t cover me if I’d been on the field.
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Agreed. By every conceivable measure accept the worthless PFF scale the entire secondary and LB core was shamefully bad last year on pass defense. The best hope was to address this up front with a ferocious EDGE or two. That hasn’t happened. Reddick doesn’t inspire much confidence by missing OTA’s or by basically taking the 2024 season off while pouting about being traded. Everyone is still giddy about the draft but will the defense be materially improved in 2025? Will be happy with just average which is considerably better than awful.
June 1st, 2025 at 8:46 am
Let’s Not talk up that bug again, everything is going the way Licht and Bowles are playing it. No one down yet and please let them get to the dome before anyone hits the IR list. Let’s Go Bucs!!!!