Ready for a challenge.

Joe is going to guess that next year Jacob Parrish is going to be a starting outside corner for the Bucs.

Now, no one has told Joe this, but a guy as good as Parrish, why waste him at slot corner?

We may get a preview tonight. With the Bucs down their best corner in Jamel Dean, Bucs coach Todd Bowles last week all but said Parrish, who is usually the team’s starting slot corner, may get work at outside corner along with fellow rookie Benjamin Morrison.

In recent weeks, teams have been targeting Morrison a lot. Part of that is that Morrison is a rookie. Also part of that reason is that Morrison is working through growing pains.

Parrish said if he plays outside, he’s ready to be targeted because that’s what NFL teams do: target rookies. Just look at Morrison, he said.

“We’re rookies,” Parrish said. “So you know they’re gonna try to pick on you, so you got to stand your ground.

“I feel like I was always taught, man, there are gonna be good plays and bad plays in football. You’ve got to move on to next play, especially at the corner position.

“It’s always about the next play. So that’s how I approach it. You embrace that. So, that’s how I approach it. You embrace that.”

In fact, Parrish said he’s looking forward to prove he can hang at outside corner with perhaps the best team in the NFL. If he plays outside.

“I’m always looking for a challenge, man,” Parrish said. “I’m confident anywhere on the field.

“You know, I take my preparation very seriously, so you know that allows me to play nickel and corner.”

If Parrish can play on the outside like he can in the slot, Bucs fans have nothing to worry about. If Parrish can play strong football tonight, Joe would wager he’s starting on the outside next season.