Zyon McCollum Still A Starter
August 7th, 2026
Job appears safe.
Bucs starting corner Zyon McCollum hasn’t been benched. And his status as a starting corner, despite an awful season last year, is not in jeopardy.
That’s the word from Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, who was prowling around One Buc Palace last week and was talking to all sorts of folks, including Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht and KitKat-eating Bucs coach Todd Bowles.
In filing notes to the four-letter’s website, almost buried in Fowler’s copy is McCollum’s status as a starter is rock solid. The best corner on the roster, Jacob Parrish, is not guaranteed a starting gig, per Fowler.
In the secondary, coach Todd Bowles has no reservations playing second-year corner Jacob Parrish on the outside this season despite his 5-foot-10 frame. Benjamin Morrison was banged up but has returned. Parrish playing outside frees up fourth-round rookie Keionte Scott to play the slot. Damarion Williams is getting some run at the outside corner spot, too. Regardless, the spot opposite Zyon McCollum must be earned in camp.
If Jacob Parrish is not starting at outside corner, the Bucs are going to get roasted trying to stop Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins in Week 1, Joe believes.
Sure, Joe gets it. If some guy no one expected in camp blows up, you want him on the field. Joe hasn’t seen such a player in practice. Yet.
Parrish easily is the best returning Bucs corner, even if he did mostly play nickel last season.
Now if you want to say Parrish is better off at nickel, Joe won’t argue. But Joe doesn’t believe the Bucs have the luxury of keeping their best corner at nickel.
Maybe Joe is drinking too much Kool-Aid at practices, but if healthy, this team might be better than it was last year. Except at corner. Even if Parrish does well, and Joe expects him to be just fine, corner is paper-thin right now for the Bucs.
So why, you ask, is McCollum already locked in as a starter? Well, Joe will give you 16 million reasons.
August 7th, 2026 at 3:27 am
Man…. wow
Between Bozo and his hand picked sidekick, ” Side Show BoBo, the Baffoon” ….
It is Truly a “Real to Life” circus!
Where did the MEN who once played the game, go?
Looking at this clown IS a laughathon! Whatever… Buddy….You SURE look like Exactly what you ARE! ….. An A$$$$ CLOWN!
August 7th, 2026 at 5:11 am
I am very concerned about cornerback.
We have zero depth.
1. Zion
2. Parish
3. Morrison
4. Scott
5.
6.
7. Hayes
Hayes is a #7 CB. À special teamer.
Scott is a nickle. Not an outside corner.
Morrison is damaged goods. Can’t depend on him at all.
Parish and Zion are good. But what happens if one or both go down?
I honestly think trading Carlton Davis was a huge mistake.
Our defense has been soft ever since he left our team.
And why sign Otton for 10 million per year?
We could’ve kept Dean with that money!
August 7th, 2026 at 5:13 am
Our pathetic pass rush will make any Cornerback look bad
August 7th, 2026 at 5:26 am
Good luck getting sacks when you’re not covering any receivers.
August 7th, 2026 at 6:25 am
Don’t worry Captain Tim, did you not read the David Walker article? (Sarc)
August 7th, 2026 at 6:47 am
The best corner the bucs has is better at playing nickel says it all
August 7th, 2026 at 7:22 am
I can see it now :
Week 1 : “Hey but it’s Joe Burrow.”
Week 2 : “Wow that Deshaun Watson sure shook the rust off.”
Week 3 : “Hunh ! they pulled Murray for JJ in the 3rd quarter up 21.”
Week 4 – 18 : (crickets)
August 7th, 2026 at 7:26 am
Not surprised. TB has always rewarded mediocrity. He would have been the first one traded to get a draft pick in last draft. Bored in the NFL? I still can’t wrap my mind around that. And, still a starter….
August 7th, 2026 at 7:27 am
Parrish should start at CB with Scott playing nickel. McCollum is terrible in man, and needs to come out in the red zone. Backups Ayden Garnes and Damarian Williams are showing potential by making plays in practice. Hayes has shown in past seasons he can’t play corner and is only a special teamer.
August 7th, 2026 at 7:33 am
If Vea is traded, this team isn’t going anywhere other than getting ousted in first round of playoffs. But the team needs to add another veteran corner. Maybe Diggs? The former Cowboy cornerback?
August 7th, 2026 at 7:34 am
Common sense kicked in and I deleted my post before hitting Submit Comment.
Go Bucs!
August 7th, 2026 at 7:56 am
the bengals game has the makings of the rams game last year.Zyon will be benched by half time… some day we will laugh and go ‘remember Zyon the bored rich guy who couldn’t cover a grandma?!’
August 7th, 2026 at 7:57 am
Adoree Jackson & Terrion Arnold would be great
GO BUCS!!!!
August 7th, 2026 at 7:58 am
$16 million is a lot of money to leave sitting on the bench.
At the same time, JL really doesn’t like to do trades.
So what do you do? You put the guy on the field.
Zyon needs to seriously up his game this year.
August 7th, 2026 at 8:02 am
Broncos were in deep with Wilson and still unloaded him. If team brass had the cahones to do the same with 27, we’d be immediately improved on the field and with team vibe. I’ve seen enough of McFollowum.
August 7th, 2026 at 8:05 am
Does the 4 letter journalist have different training camp access than the Joe’s ?
August 7th, 2026 at 8:38 am
Of course his job is safe. he’s been paid, and there’s NO alternative.
August 7th, 2026 at 9:16 am
Joe says, “So why, you ask, is McCollum already locked in as a starter? Well, Joe will give you 16 million reasons.”
Ok – name one that is not financial.
August 7th, 2026 at 9:19 am
Of course he’s still starting, he’s one of the better CBs on this team in spite of fan sentiment which is largely based on a bad quote and some bad reps now McCollum is worthless-to some of ya’ll.
Same fan sentiment emboldens some to call for Winfield to be traded or cut or benched and so on.
August 7th, 2026 at 9:27 am
Joe glad to see you write about the weakest position on the team. Yes, I guess it is the money with McColumn because nothing else makes sense. Yes McColumn starting absolutely mind boggling. I keep scratching my head on this one. They pay McColumn who is a libility to the team, but won’t pay Vea, who is one of the best players in the league. I see more and more why ME left when you see these kind of decisions. I think we will see how bad a decision this is on opening day. To make matters worse there is no depth behind McColumn. Hopefully Parrish comes through. However it appears to be another year of open receivers in the secondary with McColumn trailing from behind. I believe we will see some great highlight reels for opposing teams.
August 7th, 2026 at 10:12 am
JL thinks he got a steal paying McCollum 16 mil. After all, real CB make over 20. JL drafted him so he will be great – See JTS. We’ll stick with this guy until his contract runs out and then cut him. He was just interviewed still talking about having to fight the urge to be bored. It’s just unbelievable. Only Bowles would put up with this. Meanwhile, JL is still patting himself on the back for his genius pick.
August 7th, 2026 at 10:29 am
This is starting to feel like 2024 at CB. Its the second coming of Tyrek Funderburk. We need CB backups that can play and the only new guy there talking about is Garner an UDFA just like Funderburk. well it turned out that betting all your chips on a UDFA is a stupid place to go. Licht get off you lazy ass and find us 2 Starting caliber CB that can play.
August 7th, 2026 at 10:35 am
Who’s going to replace him, Morrison? He’s easily our best CB and if he focuses, has the tools to be elite and might just do so in this defense.
August 7th, 2026 at 11:33 am
unless morrison and parrish have breakout years and stay healthy, we need to add a corner…
parrish played well for a rook last year, but i’m still not sold on him yet, like everyone else seems to be anointing him into this superior guy…i say nah at this point…
and morrison……unless he straight up turns it around, that dude is a busteroonie…for real…
so a lot lies on the shoulders of morrison and parrish imho…if those 2 progress and blossom we might be okay…
even if scott seems like a future piece…he is wet wet wet…
seems we need a corner……..
and zyon really must wake his azz up and perform like a #1
August 7th, 2026 at 11:33 am
unless morrison and parrish have breakout years and stay healthy, we need to add a corner…
parrish played well for a rook last year, but i’m still not sold on him yet, like everyone else seems to be anointing him into this superior guy…i say nah at this point…
and morrison……unless he straight up turns it around, that dude is a bust…for real…
so a lot lies on the shoulders of morrison and parrish imho…if those 2 progress and blossom we might be okay…
even if scott seems like a future piece…he is wet wet wet…
seems we need a corner……..
and zyon really must wake his azz up and perform like a #1
August 7th, 2026 at 11:37 am
He might be a very good athlete but that doesn’t translate to football skills.
Last year all I saw was him playing 10 yards off the line of scrimmage and still chasing his wide receiver down the field. If he actually tackled anyone before a first down marker, I must have missed it.
August 7th, 2026 at 11:39 am
also you can’t improve the front end and middle of the defense with the idea that the back end sucks, or will be saved by the guys up front…
that’s absolute craziness and insanity…
you must build the back end up to par, as a stand alone piece that can hold it’s own, with the intent to blend themselves nicely with the front and middle of the defense…
no one is coming to save the back end from the nfl’s “mastery type schemers”…let’s be for real…
even with a strong front or middle, the back is going to have to man up down field or still get exposed over a long season…this is the fuggin’ nfl boys!
August 7th, 2026 at 11:41 am
zyon should know, if this defense and secondary is lousy like last year…….he and awj are gonna become scape goats, catching mad heat from the fans and media…
i hope both come in to ball out this year…
let’s go bucs
August 7th, 2026 at 11:54 am
Morrison shouldn’t really be listed. He won’t make it through the season.
August 7th, 2026 at 12:14 pm
The Patriots have been practicing without cornerback Carlton Davis for over a week and head coach Mike Vrabel said Davis is going to miss even more time before he’s well enough to return.
August 7th, 2026 at 12:41 pm
All the corners will look bad if Bowles continues using his soft zone coverage on 3rd and 4th downs. Do I need to quote ME13???
August 7th, 2026 at 2:05 pm
bowles “he’s awake so he plays. pass the ribs”
August 7th, 2026 at 2:25 pm
Zyon is having a good camp overall. He’s got 3 picks in practice so far.
August 7th, 2026 at 8:34 pm
The lack of depth at CB is a big problem. If the Bucs are counting on McCollum to be a shut down corner, well, basically load up on wideouts lining up against him to have record days until Zyon proves that he is not “bored” and can at least play at an “average” level. I think I may draft Chase and or Higgens in my fantasy drafts just to make sure my team gets off to a hot start. Bucs Bengals could be like a Sints/Bucs game that opened the season back in 2018. Fitzpatrick went off and the Bucs won 48-40. I hope the Bucs O can put up points but I could also see a result like “Tennessee ready” to open the season; what was that score again Lovey? 48-14 for the 2-14 Titans?????? I want the Bucs to win but this season already has a bad vibe, it is like the ghost of Culverhouse has possessed Buc management and Todd Bowles, well he is just Todd Bowles, enough said.