Another Call For Rasul Douglas
June 1st, 2026
Two months ago Joe was barking about the Bucs adding veteran cornerback Rasul Douglas.
Joe is not the only one.
Some fans and media types have been on the bandwagon, and it’s understandable. The Bucs waved goodbye to starting cornerback Jamel Dean in free agency and didn’t replace him.
Last week, John Breech of CBS Sports was breaking down the best remaining free agents and placing them in their “best fit” teams.
He put Douglas on the Tampa Bay roster.
While Joe could understand why Douglas would have little interesting in joining the Bucs because of the Bucs’ current cornerback talent and youth, Douglas might also very much like his chance to win a starting job.
Douglas turns 31 in August and grew up about 10 miles from Bowles’ hometown in New Jersey. He’s the kind of long corner Bowles has historically loved (6-2, 210 pounds). More important, Douglas surprised with a bounceback season last year for the Dolphins. He started 13 of the 15 games he played in and had 13 passes defensed. Those 13 passes defensed tied for 14th-most in the NFL.
Douglas also has a load of postseason experience. He won a ring as a rookie with the 2017 Eagles and also started in the postseason for Green Bay and Buffalo.
Last year, Douglas played on a one-year, $1.5 million contract plus incentives. And it seems Douglas is only on the street now because he’s been waiting out a raise.
Joe was intrigued to read how Dolphins fans and media seemed to like Douglas. Also, the data nerds claim Douglas allowed only 430 yards in coverage and a 73 passer rating, which are solid marks.
Making a move on Douglas is sort an all-in move. It’s not quite like replacing Chris Braswell with Von Miller, but it would send a message that the Bucs are chasing a ring right now.
Douglas is known as a strong zone corner. Joe wonders if Bowles sees that and thinks, ‘I sure could use a guy like that’
June 1st, 2026 at 9:55 am
Well, if he only played for 1.5 plus incentives, I imagine we could grab him. Saw Jason on an interview a few weeks ago, he seemed insulted that the interviewer thought he needed another corner
June 1st, 2026 at 9:59 am
June 1st appropriate article
Wouldn’t be mad at this move at all, almost anyone would be an upgrade over what we had in Kindle Vildor last season.
Maybe Adoree Jackson?
June 1st, 2026 at 10:16 am
Fully expect Keionte Scott to land in the nickel role this year, which pushes Parrish outside in one of the starting spots. The other starting spot will be a battle between McCollum who the Bucs are committed to paying starting CB money to, and Morrison who the Bucs have a 2nd round pick invested in. Those are the top 3 outside CBs with the other likely 2 spots going to special teams standouts.
That’s not exactly the role that you’d bring a 31 year old starting CB into. They’ll probably wait until closer to camp to make that kind of move either due to underperformance by one of the players mentioned above or due to injury.
June 1st, 2026 at 10:36 am
Licht can be awfully stubborn at times. Last year all the fans were screaming for help at the trade deadline and got nothing.
June 1st, 2026 at 10:39 am
Last season, the Bucs sat on their hands at the lb position. This year, they sit on their hands on the cb position. Like last year, this will come and bite them in the butt. Bowles has too much confidence in his young/unproven players at that position.
June 1st, 2026 at 10:48 am
Douglas likely wants a BIG raise and some assurances he will have a good chance at a starting spot – so for those reasons he may not consider Tampa Bay a good fit.
I think from the Bucs end – they would probably like to have him for depth if the price is right….
Bucs do need to sign a decent vet CB and a backup vet Guard to round out the depth of this 2026 roster.
June 1st, 2026 at 11:10 am
Douglas isn’t getting a “BIG” raise at age 31. That’s long in the tooth for a CB.
I think he can be had for a yr 1 incentive laden deal.
The biggest issue with Bowles is his over confidence in some of his players and his scheme to be able to overcome quality depth.
We saw it play out last year when he proclaimed in training camp the Ilber was the team’s deepest position. Just because you have bodies, doesn’t make it deep. What they had was an aging vet in LVD, an unproven SVD and a bunch of scrubs like Anthony Walker who didn’t even make the team.
They really need to add a vet CB to push the young guys and provide depth.
June 1st, 2026 at 11:14 am
Can’t have enough good corners. I don’t see enough.
June 1st, 2026 at 11:24 am
Please sign Douglas.
Injuries to the CB room happen *EVERY* year.
With 2 injuries, we are out of starting caliber people to play. That’s not enough depth!
June 1st, 2026 at 11:25 am
Todd Bowles is a sub .500 HC in the NFL.
That’s all he will ever be, no matter the roster.
His scheme will never be updated and the NFL has him clocked.
Even a busted clock is right twice a season!
June 1st, 2026 at 11:26 am
Also. You have 1 weakness in your secondary, they will get targeted unmercifully.
That’s why we need more depth.
June 1st, 2026 at 11:33 am
Fred McNeil Says:
June 1st, 2026 at 10:36 am
Licht can be awfully stubborn at times. Last year all the fans were screaming for help at the trade deadline and got nothing.
^^^^^^^
They tried trading John Bullock for Myles Garrett, but Garrett didn’t want to be used as a defensive back in Bowles system.
June 1st, 2026 at 11:38 am
Delusional Bowles and JL. Just because some FA bandaids were brought in an the draft seems to have gone pretty well does not mean the gaping hole in the middle of the defense has been solved. CB is weaker with the loss of Dean. Scott is a rookie and is he replacing Parrish? How does that improve the team? McCollum and Morrison have a lot to prove and there are no proven backups. LB has the same issues. LVD is replaced with a similar, slightly better player. SVD replaced with another FA who can’t cover and a rookie. Proven backups not on the team. FA was full of young quality guys at reasonable prices that JL just ignored.
The wide open center of the field will continue due to incompetence from the coaching and management. The only good part is they won’t be able to blame it on lack of talent due to their self proclaimed massive improvements that only they can see. No where to hide now. There is still time to get some guys to shore up the deficiencies, but only if the giant egos get out of the way. Get Rasul. Get a quality LB. Still guys out there.
June 1st, 2026 at 11:45 am
Can never have too many corners or WRs.
June 1st, 2026 at 11:46 am
Can never have too much talent. Bring him in for that paltry salary. Why Not?
June 1st, 2026 at 12:07 pm
Yahoo thank you Joe!!!. I don’t trust Morrison is ready this year. He hasn’t proven he will ever be ready. Then the injuries to boot.
McColumn really?. I mean what else to you want the guy to show that he isn’t up to the task. He convinced me last year.
Talent at the cb position I don’t see it. Yes maybe Parrish. Then there is no depth.
The cb position is a real concern in my opinion. It would be nice to have a legit cb
Please bring him in
June 1st, 2026 at 12:22 pm
Paul … ‘Fully expect Keionte Scott to land in the nickel role this year, which pushes Parrish outside in one of the starting spots.’
So you’re expecting rookie Scott to beat out last year’s All-Rookie Parrish for the Nickel position? And IF he does, you’re expecting Parrish to beat McCollum or Morrison for the outside CB position? Or are there other options that Bowles might create?
Very good article over on the Bucs site titled ‘Could Jacob Parrish and Keionte Scott Create Dime Options for the Bucs?’ That piece says that the Bucs played Nickel on 61.0% of their def snaps last year, and dime just 1.2%. It also says that the Rams played dime 32.4% last season (and made it to the NFC Championship game).
Bowles says in that article that Scott will be trained up at Nickel (obviously), at Safety, that he’ll ‘get some outside reps’, plus apparently some dime opions with Scott taking an ILB’s spot. He’s looking for a lot more ‘versatility’ me thinks than what he had available to him last year.
I wouldn’t be surprised if ultimately Scott ends up as a Safety. With his speed, he’d add a dimension back there that I think we’ve been missing. But I’ll guess that won’t be this year, unless injuries intercede.
June 1st, 2026 at 12:43 pm
And IF he does, you’re expecting Parrish to beat McCollum or Morrison for the outside CB position?
Absolutely!!!
Morrison will be depth at outside CB until he proves himself
GO BUCS