Tykee Smith Is A Safety
May 27th, 2025
So then-rookie Tykee Smith was the Bucs’ nickel cornerback last season and led the club in takeaways, a combination of interceptions and forced fumbles.
In Todd Bowles tradition, the head coach/defensive coordinator said right after the season that he’s considering a change at nickel. The thought, per Bowles, was to possibly move Smith to safety.
Joe asked Bowles today how he views Smith and if he’s now all-in at safety.
“He’s a safety but he’s always a nickel,” Bowles replied. “So depending on the game, he gives us a variety to do different things. And, you know, we’ll see how it goes. He’s playing safety now but he’s taking reps at nickel, as well.”
Asked who is competing for a nickel job, Bowles did not mention rookie outside cornerback Benjamin Morrison. He went with Smith, rookie Jacob Parrish, undrafted rookie J.J. Roberts out of Marshall, Zyon McCollum and Christian Izien.
“They’re different types of players,” Bowles said. “You got a bunch of nickels right now.”
Joe asked McCollum about Bowles throwing him in the mix at nickel. McCollum said he’ll do whatever it takes to help the team and he can even play linebacker or safety if asked.
Joe will note, however, McCollum said last year that he benefited greatly in his development from having only one position: outside cornerback.
May 27th, 2025 at 2:01 pm
This just doesn’t make me feel confident in this defense. I know, I know, it’s only May and still very early.
But still.
May 27th, 2025 at 2:14 pm
Let them go in their natural positions i dont like it
May 27th, 2025 at 2:26 pm
Great to hear, with Smith at safety – that takes care of a huge hole on the defense – while Parrish should be a natural fit with his speed and quickness, even though he played a ton outside.
Also, as a reminder, when a player ‘moves’ their position, it doesn’t mean they suddenly forget how to play their old position – and if the nickel situation isn’t good, they can just move Smith back to that role. In the meantime, worse case, Smith gets experience at a position of need – and best case, he’s a good starting safety and the Bucs have that position locked up for years.
May 27th, 2025 at 2:34 pm
Don’t need a jack of all trades back there, we need some masters at one position.
May 27th, 2025 at 2:36 pm
Can I tell you a dream?
A legit 4 man rush with 7 DBs.
Sometimes?
Pull LVD and play 7 DBs with 4 down lineman.
How?
Vea and Kancey at DT.
Yaya and Reddick at DE.
Bam. 4 man rush.
DBs?
Dean and Zion outside.
Morrison and Parish at “double nickel”
Izien, Winfield, and Tykes Smith at Safety.
Can you guys imagine the speed?
7 DBs flying around?
If Vea, Kancey, Yaya and Reddick and rush as 4.
We will eat QBs alive.
May 27th, 2025 at 3:10 pm
Agree with Rod… not only does a play not suddenly forget how to play their old position but in this case, safety fits in this same category. Smith played both safety and nickel in college. This is Bowles looking to maximize strengths.
May 27th, 2025 at 3:59 pm
I told ya to quit dreaming. They meant it when they said Tykee is a S at the end of last season. Look up my comment! And they’ve done nothing but back that up by not addressing safety at all this offseason. Also, a Sanders is making this team.
May 27th, 2025 at 4:41 pm
I think him and AW should work well together. Izien or Parrish can take over his spot at nickel
May 27th, 2025 at 5:03 pm
Where is Sanders in all this mix?
May 27th, 2025 at 5:04 pm
Quit crying and complaining, do you really think they care about what you like and don’t like or your opinions?
May 27th, 2025 at 5:07 pm
I wonder if Bowles liked Morrison’s tape enough that Bowles is thinking Morrison at CB and McCollum at nickel? Maybe Parrish at CB? A very fun offseason for us to watch the secondary!
May 27th, 2025 at 5:08 pm
Seems like a good sign for JJ Roberts
May 27th, 2025 at 5:54 pm
Teacherman … ‘A legit 4 man rush with 7 DBs. How? Vea and Kancey at DT. Yaya and Reddick at DE.’
The ‘legit 4 man rush’ caught my attention immediately Teacherman. But then I thought back to 2021 when that meant ‘Vea & Suh at DT, and JPP & Shaq at DE/OLB’. Which 4-man rush do you think would have the best chance of sacking the QB?
Bucs had the Vea & Kancey, YaYa & ‘another OLB’ combo out there a bunch last season. Vea & Kancey did excellent (14.5 sacks); our OLBs, not-so-much. Will Reddick make THAT much difference? We don’t know at this point. Plus Bowles often has one of the OLBs drop back into coverage, and so the real 4-man rush often becomes Vea, Kancey, Logan Hall & the other OLB.
I think the real issue is that Vea & Kancey have both averaged 50%-60% defensive snaps. We either need to get that up much higher (the 65%-70% range) OR we need another beast for the interior. We’ve got the OLBs; just need a bit more interior pass rush when Vea & Kancey are on the bench.
May 27th, 2025 at 6:34 pm
Defense Rules Reddick plus 2 draft picks to add to the competition. That small school rusher who’s getting all the hype may just be a game changer. The SMU kid may be able to play some edge as well as interior. Wish we had another Vea but I think we’ll be better. If Kancey stays healthy he may be all pro caliber. And YaYa may come into his own this year. But the interior DLine is a spot where we need to stay healthy. Not enough depth there.
May 27th, 2025 at 7:14 pm
Would have preferred Emmanwori at SAFETY but Licht is going to have Baker throws footballs with both hands this year. Let’s see, a 1st rounder who was the 2nd best receiver at Ohio State who will be targeted 5 times/game; or, Emmanwori who would have been on the field for 95% of defensive snaps. Which player made more sense? We will see in the 4th Q if Bucs can protect a lead by shutting down opponents. Not as confident as many posters here.
May 27th, 2025 at 7:39 pm
They are going to switch guys around depending on Receiver matchups and to disguise secondary coverages, Bowles can’t let this pass defense be ranked (29th) again. Our secondary will be a lot better.
May 27th, 2025 at 9:17 pm
Interesting he named JJ Robert’s already.. and at nickel
May 27th, 2025 at 9:21 pm
Emmanwori lasted till the 2nd for every team, EE would not have. And with the health of the receivers the pick was sound. Lets see how the season unfolds, Nick might even get injured, hope not for his sake.
May 27th, 2025 at 9:51 pm
I liken this to the quote about QBs and if you have 2 or 3 “starters” you actually have none or however that goes.
These guys refuse to stop tinkering. Zyon benefitted from just learning and practicing 1 position? You don’t say!?
Let’s put Goedeke at LG, Marpet at C, Tykee will be a safety and a NCB and a CB, same with Parrish and Zyon and Izien… knock it off Bowles. I get S depth is still a concern but Tykee clearly wants to be a full time safety so let him be one. Izien is your swing NCB and S when needed. Let the other guys do what they do and do it well.
May 27th, 2025 at 11:57 pm
Naa, this is the genius of Todd. This is phase one of the new plan. Phase two will be playing Vita at QB, having Baker rushing the passer, and in general, every player on the team will play every position. You know, for depth, versatility, and the element of surprise. No worries about blown assignments or ineptitude. That attribute is well covered by the leading example of over-deployment.
May 28th, 2025 at 1:43 am
Hmm sounds like he Will be on the field 100% of the defensive snaps. At safety or Nickel.
Go Bucs!
May 28th, 2025 at 6:20 am
I too thought Emmanwori would have been a good pick. It’s not a slight to EE, just a focus on a weakness. I would have liked to see the Bucs trade down a few spots and picked up a late round before selecting Emmanwori,but that would have been icing the cake. I think Emmanwori had/has the potential to play inside linebacker too similar to Urlacher. Talk about position flexibility.
May 28th, 2025 at 12:31 pm
I’m excited for Bowles to have the piece’s he needs to run his defensive schemes to a masterful conclusion
May 28th, 2025 at 1:04 pm
@Teacherman- I would run at that defense all day.
May 28th, 2025 at 4:55 pm
It is so odd to me about folks complaining about Tykee Smith at Safety. A very natural position for him.