Brian Baldinger Seems To Think Bucs Already Banking On Rookies
June 10th, 2025
How secure?
Interesting insight here from a guy Joe is going to bet had long talks last week with both Bucs coach Todd Bowles and AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht.
Good guy Brian Baldinger of NFL Network was at a closed Bucs OTA practice last week. When you are a good dude and a former NFL player who works for the league, doors open that are normally closed to others.
One thing Baldinger mentioned was the following:
“A lot of good young players again, with a chance to be … ,” and strangely Baldinger’s voice dropped off. Fair to say Baldinger was talking about playing time and snaps. You know, a chance to be impact players.
“Emeka Egbuka, Benjamin Morrison, some of the guys [the Bucs] are going to be counting on this year, you know, [Jacob] Parrish.”
Joe knows it is way, way, way too early to start penciling in starters but man, everything Joe sees and hears, it sounds like Jacob Parrish has the starting slot gig for himself as long as he doesn’t get hurt or start practicing lousy football.
As for Emeka Egbuka, at worst he’s going to get targets every game he’s on the field.
Benjamin Morrison is the wild card. Joe gueses, at worst, he will be Jamel Dean’s backup. We all know Dean is going to get hurt. Death, taxes and Dean missing games with injuries are life’s guarantees.
So when — not if — Dean gets hurt, Morrison will get on the field. Joe’s willing to bet. The interesting thing is, does Dean get Wally Pipp’ed by Morrison? (For those not hip with a widely-used baseball historical reference, click here.)
.@Buccaneers good afternoon of OTA's. Good opportunity to look at the rookie class and a few new faces and coaches. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/JOO9qOyWXB
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) June 5, 2025
June 10th, 2025 at 5:00 am
Morrison might be to good to wait for Dean to get hurt. If he can take the ball away during camp, and preseason, no reason to not start him. Dean has had enough time to prove he’s not the ballhawk Bowles wants. I said it when he was drafted, if healthy he’ll get the starting nod. Our secondary was hot garbage last year even when Dean was healthy, not enough turnovers. Morrison, Zyon on the outside, Parrish in the slot, Smith at safety. Three new starters this fall in the secondary, book it now.
June 10th, 2025 at 5:29 am
I didn’t consider the fact that Morrison really doesn’t need to be promoted. He just has to sit behind Dean until he starts holding his hamstring in the 3rd quarter of the 2jd game of the season. Ira has been saying Dean may not be a starter this season. But this makes more sense. Let Dean play until he says he can’t. Then see how solid Morrison is. It idoes seem inevitable. Bowles can let Dean step back through injury without demoting him.
June 10th, 2025 at 6:58 am
So how much are the Bucs paying Dean to get hurt and miss games this year?
Amazing stuff.
June 10th, 2025 at 7:04 am
They pay Dean $14 million to play about 12 games, a fair price
June 10th, 2025 at 7:12 am
Morrison should just show out during camp and preseason and outright win the job from Dean.
June 10th, 2025 at 7:12 am
If this Secondary is as improved as hoped for and with a Pass Rush that can hopefully get off the field on 3rd downs-you have the makings of a Top NFC Team this year. Our Offense takes a back seat to no one at this point. Go BUCS!!
June 10th, 2025 at 7:27 am
Jamel played over 90% of the def snaps in 10 games in 2024: Bucs were 7-3 in those games. He played over 90% of the def snaps in 10 games in 2023: Bucs were 6-4 in those games. That’s a W-L of 13-7 when Jamel plays a BUNCH.
Jamel played in 2 other games in 2024 but with MUCH fewer snaps (probably was hurting?): Bucs won both of those (Saints & Panthers). He also played in 3 other games in 2023 but again with a lot fewer snaps: Bucs went 0-3 in those games. That’s a W-L of 2-3 when he plays just a little in games.
So he’s played in 25 games total in the last 2 years. Bucs were 13-7 when he played over 90% def snaps, but only 2-3 when he just played a few def snaps. Thus in the 25 games he played in, Bucs were 15-10. In the 9 games Jamel DIDN’T play in, the Bucs were 4-5 in the regular season.
And interestingly to me, Dean’s last 2 years were by far the WORST of his 6-year career from a stats standpoint (especially Pass Completion Rate Allowed). Why is anyone’s guess. But IF that can be rectified this off-season, we’ll have made a very smart decision in keeping him. IF not, Morrison and/or Parrish are waiting in the wings. I think it’ll be fascinating to see this play out.
June 10th, 2025 at 7:46 am
Good stuff DR. Dean is a good player when healthy. But that is the problem. He always seems hurt, and he’s good to miss significant time at any point during the regular season or playoffs. Maybe this is the year he plays most of the games, his career is most likely on the line I’d think.
June 10th, 2025 at 7:51 am
Love me some Baldy Joe!
Always on point and none of the ususal media slant. Chance to be impact players from him about a team that has some damn good players already? Sounds good to me.
Folks are a bit harsh with Dean me thinks. I am of the mind that when Todd has corners playing 10 to 15 yards off that it is next to impossible to be close enough to grab an INT. As for the injuries some guys are indeed prone to them. Evans has had Hammy problems almost every year.
Go Bucs!
June 10th, 2025 at 7:52 am
This is why Watson and Sanders get all the publicity. No intrigue with the draft picks. Two years in a row they’ll all make the team.
June 10th, 2025 at 8:06 am
@Defense Rules. Good information above. Those games where the W-L record is high for Dean is the offense healthy during those games? Also the games where Dean was unhealthy with losses, were those also the games without Evans, Godwin or Evans or Godwin?
June 10th, 2025 at 8:35 am
RVATom … ‘But this makes more sense. Let Dean play until he says he can’t. Then see how solid Morrison is. It idoes seem inevitable. Bowles can let Dean step back through injury without demoting him.’
Agree that’s probably how it’ll play out. That gives Bowles an opportunity to get Morrison into games ‘gradually’ as opposed to just throwing him into the fire, and then evaluate his early season performance in games. I’ve got a hunch that we’re gonna see a LOT of SIX defensive backs formations this year.
One thing that no one seems to pay much attention to is our CBs’ tackling. Last season McCollum had 82 tackles in 17 games, roughly 5 tackles per game average. Dean had 59 tackles in 12 games, again roughly 5 tackles per game. Izien had 75 tackles in 14 games, slightly over 5 tackles per game.
Compare those averages to other teams and it seems like the Bucs’ CBs get in on a lot more tackles than most other CBs. And it’s not just pass defense; they get in on a lot of running plays too by virtue of how they’re used. Probably one of the reasons our CBs seem to get banged up so much (having a 200 lb CB tackle someone like 250 lb Derrick Henry in the open field hardly seems like a fair fight).
June 10th, 2025 at 8:57 am
Dean is soft.
June 10th, 2025 at 9:04 am
Dean might stay healthy and play better with Morrison pushing, then play out his contract and get a big one elsewhere. That would be the ideal.
June 10th, 2025 at 9:20 am
When Dean played in the Washington playoff game, he played a lot of bump and run or only 5 yards off the receiver. When Dean went down and Funderburk came in, Bowles had him 10 yards off the receiver and he still got picked on.
Bowles really trusts Dean. Funderburk was the star of last years camp, so a lesson for me is that camp performance is far from real games. This year’s crop of DB’s may look great in camp, but games are way different.
Any NFL secondary can look bad against a good QB with no pressure. The front 4 or 5 guys need to hit the QB a lot and help the DB’s, and get some picks too. It will be fun watching Charlie Strong develop Elijah Roberts at DT3-tech and Larry Foote bring along David Walker. Let’s hope the Eagles version of Reddick shows up.
June 10th, 2025 at 9:52 am
My hope is that Morrison takes the job in camp. If he’s right – he is a much better player. HOWEVER, if this forces Dean to step up his game, to be more assertive and aggressive, then that would be just fine by me. Depth is a beautiful thing.
Further – dont think for a second these rookies cant come in and completely transform the defense. We drafted a corner that was as highly touted and athletic as Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchel. Those guys with the Eagles cvhanged their whole defense around. If we can get HALF of that with Antoine winfield returning to form…Lets just say there is a reason national pundits are taking notice. And before some NERD says “tHe gAmEs aRe pLaYeD oN tHe fIeLd -” ya, I get it, buts its ok to get excited. Have a drink and enjoy being relevant
June 10th, 2025 at 11:05 am
I think this rookie class will pay dividends later in the year and will be the spark that ignites the Bucs in the playoffs. Along with the rookies, a healthy SVD and the presence of Riddick will really improve the defense. I’m more bullish about this year than in the past three years. We have a lot of young talent and enough key veterans to be a very good team. Don’t be surprised if you see more man coverage this year.
June 10th, 2025 at 11:56 am
Regression takes a couple years.
June 10th, 2025 at 1:16 pm
The plan is simple: go up by 3 scores in the 4th and let the rookies come in. Dean gets to rest and the rookies get experience.
June 10th, 2025 at 1:35 pm
Injuries are random not scheduled
So his previous injuries and missed time have absolutely nothing to do with this season coming up
Yes some players have an ability to play through injuries more than others
I can’t wait for Dean to ball out this year and perhaps quiet down all the dumb ass Dean haters posting here
Go Bucs
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June 10th, 2025 at 2:04 pm
I’d prefer if Dean was looking after London or Mooney game 1 and ease the rookies in.
We had stud rookies last year and their mistakes, few and far between as they were, hurt us.
Don’t need rookie CB mistakes hurting us in a big division game if Dean and McCollum are 100%.
I don’t think you earn the job in camp necessarily unless it’s unbelievable performance day in and day out. Get some live bullet reps before climbing the ladder imo.