Todd Bowles: Size Won’t Matter When Adding To Secondary
April 11th, 2026
Todd Bowles used to be known for his love of long cornerbacks.
That seemed to change last season.
The Bucs drafted two cornerbacks: 6-foot Benjamin Morrision in Round 2 and 5-foot-10 Jacob Parrish in Round 3. Aside from not being remarkably tall, both have arms on the shorter side, per their NFL Scouting Combine measurements.
Last week at the NFL owners meetings in Phoenix, Todd Bowles was asked if size will matter when he adds a cornerback this spring.
“No, I don’t think [I need to add more] size,” Bowles replied. “I think if you’re a good player, we’re looking at you. I’ve seen some good players in this draft and then I’ve seen some good players out on the street. They’re not necessarily ideal size, but if you have enough savviness and you understand the game and can play, we don’t problem taking you.”
Joe was glad Bowles and the Bucs seemed to move off their requirement that their cornerbacks be long.
Yes, the Bucs won a Super Bowl with 6-1 cornerbacks with long arms, Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean, but those measurables certainly aren’t a necessity.
April 11th, 2026 at 1:22 pm
Size at safety is a bigger concern than corner for me. But don’t see an early pick being spent replacing Tykee Smith or Winfield either. Size matters most on DL, and we have plenty of that.
April 11th, 2026 at 1:45 pm
LOVED watching 5’9″ Pat Fischer guarding 6’8″ Harold Carmichael back in the 70’s, was awesome to watch. Rules changes have taken away most of his techniques since, of course
April 11th, 2026 at 1:53 pm
Davis and Dean were already accomplished, productive pressman CB’s that played on great, physical defenses at Auburn. Morrison looked stupid when he played last season and that level of play had nothing to do with injuries. Really like Parrish. He may emerge as an outside CB and push McCollum inside to the slot. Then draft or sign another outside CB.
April 11th, 2026 at 1:53 pm
I DISAGREE
VHIII got absolutely owned because he was too short to guard most WR.
April 11th, 2026 at 1:56 pm
Desperate now…
Even with the perfect sized body TB is lacking at putting it all together.
TB should have been gone after the end of 2024 and….
Oh well …
The Beatings will continue until morale improves…
Whole new culture change from GM on down is needed
April 11th, 2026 at 2:00 pm
-6′ corners can still play, but they will give up plays just based on length. Although, in Bowles mega soft coverage scheme, a guy can probably be 4′ tall and it wont really matter.
Length matters if you want to play your corners on the ball, so it appears Bowles has already thrown in the towel for the future of being an attacking defense. This must be the secret “tweak” he’s been hinting at. Give up trying to force punts and pray for redzone stops.
April 11th, 2026 at 2:00 pm
Which is what he’s been doing for 5 years.
April 11th, 2026 at 2:15 pm
Most of the time positioning and vert matter more. Yeah you might occasionally have a qb throw and absolute dime where he fits the ball I to the 4″ Gap between the tips of the corner’s fingers and the receiver’s fingers….but that’s definitely threading the needle. I could see when playing press he might get beaten physically
April 11th, 2026 at 2:35 pm
You’d think it would be a combination of height, arm length and vertical jumping ability. If a 5’10” guy’s outstretched hand is just as high as a 6’2″ guy, height and arm length really don’t matter.
April 11th, 2026 at 2:37 pm
(when jumping for a contested catch, that is)
April 11th, 2026 at 2:46 pm
Alright well then lets find somebody that wants to play OL that’s a 100 lbs. & tell them size won’t matter when adding to the OL.🙄 Yeah Todd he won’t need to add another 200 lbs.
April 11th, 2026 at 2:47 pm
It doesn’t matter if the player is 9 feet tall or 2 feet tall. Nor if their arms are long or missing. The result will be the same as we’ve witnessed for four years.
🤡
April 11th, 2026 at 2:54 pm
Queue up the “size matters” comments. “I’m long and strong, and down to get the friction on.” (Some rapper from the 80’s) LOL.
In regards to this article about CB’s, just grab a player who loves football. Who loves to tackle, hit, and loves to win. That’s the correct size – a winner of any shape, size, and form.
April 11th, 2026 at 3:02 pm
Ronde Barber has lost an unbelievable amount of height since his playing days
Excuse’s excuses excuses
Nobody can cover once the timing of the play has been extended because of lack of pressure and the quarterback has time to find a WR who understands it’s time to find a hole in the defense
April 11th, 2026 at 3:06 pm
I disagree at 6-4 220 kyle Hamilton the best defensive player in football plays edge safety corner etc…versatility
April 11th, 2026 at 3:12 pm
I agree they need a bigger SS than Tykee
And D”Angelo Ponds is a great smaller CB
April 11th, 2026 at 3:24 pm
If a Corner is 6-1 with a 33 inch vertical and another corner is 5-10 with a 38 inch vertical-Who is REALLY TALLER????????????
April 11th, 2026 at 5:04 pm
Will Lee III 6’1 190 (same as me when not lifting)
April 11th, 2026 at 5:35 pm
No surprise I like size in the behind, too
April 11th, 2026 at 5:55 pm
D’Angelo Ponds was the DB I was terrified of the Bucs drafting early in the process. I’m so mad at Bowles I couldn’t suffer the thought of him getting another Tykee or Parrish style (read undersized) toy in the draft but after a full review of his tape I was sure he had orangutan arms because of how he owns the catch point but that isn’t the case. He doesn’t just “understand the game” as Bowles says- this dude has Stretch Armstrong type super powers. I’m not needing him to be a Buc but he has that lightning trigger while in motion-true baller thing Rodriguez has without the reprehensible mustache. They will both go in the same zone on day 2 but if I had to choose for Bowles to succeed, I’d choose Ponds.
I’d like to see long arms, not height added to the Bucs defense to shrink the triangles in Bowles slutty zone looks if we are talking physical measurements but mature, refined DBs like every Toledo player in this draft is what I think will do the Bucs best. Avery Smith is the least hyped of them but he is my favorite since I want early picks going to the front 7 on defense.
April 11th, 2026 at 6:49 pm
It’s a different game today, for sure. Players are bigger, and faster. But I have no problem with a smaller corner on a taller receiver. I think a taller corner may have a harder time covering some of these shorter receivers too. As long as they’ve got the speed to play height, I don’t think, makes too much difference. At least at cornerback.
April 11th, 2026 at 7:02 pm
Jermod McCoy at #15. Start McCoy at CB with Morrison/Parrish at the other corner. Trade McCollum for a proven edge rusher – he can’t cover and never could tackle.
April 11th, 2026 at 7:29 pm
Hey Beej,I loved watching Larry Czonka level Pat Fisher in the Super Bowl when, according to Czonka, Fisher was looking to cut him and Zonk turned into him and got him all caught up in the pile up that followed, LOL. If you watch it you can see Fisher never expected it.
April 11th, 2026 at 8:30 pm
Remember Brent Grimes? Size doesn’t always matter
April 11th, 2026 at 8:52 pm
VH3 was the most heart wrenching pick in Bucs history being a Gator fan. A BIG GATOR FAN. Julio Jones ruined a few careers NO JOKE
April 11th, 2026 at 9:14 pm
“Size Won’t Matter When Adding To Secondary” – Also Dianna Russini
April 12th, 2026 at 12:47 am
Just for fun, draft the shortest, fattest DB and tallest skinniest interior defensive lineman. Same result no matter, but it would be comedy gold watching the meltdown from the armchair draftnik GMs who believe that a bunch of rookies can somehow extinguish this dumpster fire.
April 12th, 2026 at 11:54 am
Put some respect on sir-mix-alots name sir.
April 12th, 2026 at 2:24 pm
“Adding to the secondary” means “playing special teams.” That’s what backup DBs do.