Jamel Dean’s Intriguing Pro Bowl Honor
December 26th, 2025
So it’s widely known that Buccaneers fans don’t rally and vote their team’s players into the Pro Bowl. Bucs fans just aren’t that into it.
Fan voting results are one-third of the criteria for a player to get the honor.
The other two-thirds go equally to coaches votes and player vote from across the NFL.
So Joe is intrigued by Bucs cornerback Jamel Dean being named an alternate to the 2026 NFC Pro Bowl team. How did Dean get there? It must have been largely via the opinions of players and coaches.
In a down year for interceptions, only three other NFC cornerbacks had more picks than the three Dean collected. So that had to be a factor, but Joe isn’t convinced Dean had a strong reputation entering this season; he had never been a Pro Bowler and the Bucs cut his pay. And there’s certainly not a lot of widespread respect for the Bucs’ pass defense around the NFL.
The NFC cornerbacks on the initial Pro Bowl roster are Jaycee Horn (Carolina), Devon Witherspoon (Seattle), Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell (Eagles).
Witherspoon has one interception this season; Mitchell has none.
If any of those players skip the Pro Bowl festivities because they’re in the Super Bowl or don’t want to attend, there’s a great chance Dean’s endless smile will be there.
That would be a quite an ironic finish to the Bucs’ season.
December 26th, 2025 at 9:58 am
One day the HoF voters will realize that pro bowl nods are fine, but hardly criteria for induction into the hall of fame. Winfield shouldn’t have made it this year, and neither should Dean be an alternate. I say that as a massive fan of Winfield Jr.
December 26th, 2025 at 10:02 am
Players know it’s a contract year for him and have thrown him a bone.
December 26th, 2025 at 10:02 am
-27 catches allowed in 56 targets, shakes out to a 48% completion pct allowed
when targeted
-1 TD allowed
-3 INTs
-348 recieving yards allowed in 16 game(21.7 yards/game)
-Only 3 games allowing a completion % >60%
-2 blitzes, 1 for a sack another for a QB Hit
-44 tackles
I think there’s enough evidence that Dean has been good for us when availabe, if his play doesn’t tell you that the play of his relief should.
One could argue, without him scoring at home against the Jets, we don’t win that game.
December 26th, 2025 at 10:05 am
The Pro Bowl should just be a mini golf game at Pirates Cove. Although, Dean would still figure out a way to get hurt.
December 26th, 2025 at 10:05 am
How on earth. He stinks!
December 26th, 2025 at 10:13 am
SB is 100% correct, they knew he took a pay cut, some dumb team will over pay, which inflates the market for everyone
December 26th, 2025 at 10:16 am
Dean is burnt toast!!! watch that play last week… running around in circles, lazy!!! Bengals can have him next year!!! Go Bucs
December 26th, 2025 at 10:20 am
So much for Jason Licht and Todd Bowles judgment of defensive players and who should be reassigned and who should not. They threw McCollum. on injured reserve just to get him off the field.
December 26th, 2025 at 10:20 am
Some of yall will say anything to save yourself from admitting you were wrong about Dean. He is a good player when healthy. That has been the issue though. So many games where he will be out mid game and then come back the next week. It is hard to depend on that and requires you to have good depth at CB when somone has to fill in for him. Puts more strain on the other starting CB to stay healthy too. This is why we’ve had games throught Dean’s career where we have to play our 4th and 5th string CB’s. See Josh Hayes and Funderburk last year
December 26th, 2025 at 10:22 am
It doesn’t make a difference
December 26th, 2025 at 10:41 am
Hmm. So does that mean that the coaches and players around the league think Mayfield is one of the best QBs in the league? On an off year? Yes. That is exactly what that means.
December 26th, 2025 at 10:48 am
Bucs fans are soft. Dean has had his best season since the SB season. He’s been healthier than usual. He’s always had the tools and it’s tough when the only two defenses you get to play are Zone or zero. Give this guy a consistent pass rush and he would thrive even more. I hope they resign him, bc the Morrison kid is not him.
December 26th, 2025 at 10:50 am
bud sez carlton davis and jamel dean are both good davis might go to superbowl all about coaching
December 26th, 2025 at 11:57 am
The totally unironic finish to the Bucs season is them losing out. Dan Marino Ewers is going to pick apart the inept defense Sunday. I don’t gamble but if I did I’d take the Dolphins and the points.