Bryce Hall Says Rookies Energized The Secondary
August 6th, 2025
Believes the secondary has improved.
The last two seasons, the Bucs had a bottom-five pass defense in terms of yards allowed per game.
Joe thought with a defensive-minded head coach, a former NFL defensive back who won a ring, that statistic was shameful.
It seemed Bucs coach Todd Bowles was fed up with it, too. The Bucs drafted two corners on Day 2 of the draft. Things have to look up for the secondary, right?
Conerback Bryce Hall believes fortunes will rise for the Bucs secondary. Hall, who is having a really solid camp, explained how drafting corners Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish gave the secondary a needed jolt.
“[Those] guys love football,” Hall explained. “When you love something, you learn it at a higher rate. Jacob Parrish, ‘B-Mo’ (Benjamin Morrison), all those dudes are smart, and they are getting it.
“They love playing football, and I think that goes a long way. It helps some of us older guys, veterans, being able to bring them along in that process. They can process well, they [are] really smart — I feel like everybody in the secondary is really smart — so it has not been too much of an issue to take that next step.”
Even Hall noted the Bucs’ pass defense had to improve if the Bucs want to reach their playoff goals.
“I think we know and have a good understanding of the defense — at least for me, just having another year in the system, learning and seeing things,” Hall said. “When everyone has another year in the system, things naturally grow and get better.”
Obviously, the star rookie in training camp is receiver Emeka Egbuka. But there is another rookie making splash plays regularly. That would be Parrish. He seemed all over the place this morning. But Joe has to temper Parrish’s strong morning because it was underwear football.
Still, even in pads, Parrish has been making his share of plays.
Joe already typed the following but Joe will repeat it. Bowles seems to think Parrish is a nickel corner. The way he has been practicing, Joe thinks Parrish needs to be on the field full-time on Sundays.
Maybe Bowles ought to start Parrish at outside corner and move McCollum to slot? Joe has nothing against McCollum but if Parrish can string together plays on Sundays like he’s doing in camp, he needs to be a full-time player.
August 6th, 2025 at 5:28 pm
As you always preach Joe, it’s TRAINING CAMP. How many players have looked phenomenal in camp and preseason and then fell flat when the real bullets started flying? I hope Parrish turns out to be a legit shut-down CB, but let’s temper our expectations a bit.
August 6th, 2025 at 5:38 pm
I’m really rooting for this kid to not only stay healthy and ball out.
Joe, nickel corner is a full time job in our defense, Parrish isn’t going to be robbed of any opportunities because our base defense is a nickel defense. That nickel gets to cover, blitz, and in some instance plays contain on runs to their side. Parrish is going to eat well.
August 6th, 2025 at 5:50 pm
Parrish had an impressive college career. As a Freshman (14 games), he had 11 solo tackles and 0 picks. He vastly improved during his sophomore season with 37 solo tackles and a whopping 4 picks in only 12 games. Last year, as a Junior, his interceptions tailed off with 1 in 12 games, but his solo tackles jumped to 40.
Since I put eyes on Kansas State zero times last year, I could only guess as to whether the opposition was throwing away from the previous year’s ballhawk.
My point is this: Parrish comes off as a gamer who is unafraid of contact, a criticism by some here when thinking of Dean.
With the great camp he’s has been having I tend to agree with Joe … to a point. When the cleats hit the turf for real next month, it might be better to start Parrish out as a nickel and see where he goes from there. Hopefully the sky’s the limit for this kid, and I do mean kid. He’s only 21.
August 6th, 2025 at 6:08 pm
If Parrish is on as Nickel in the beginning of the year and seeing a 60 percent snap count and is making plays in those 60 percent snap count – we will be fine and don’t mess with something working.
August 6th, 2025 at 6:26 pm
It’s a long season.
Players need rest.
We need to prepare for the playoffs.
I want to see some Tampa 7 baby!
Rush 4. Drop 7 DBs!
zero linebackers.
LFG!
August 6th, 2025 at 6:41 pm
Somebody had to. Hope it translates to much improved coverage.
August 6th, 2025 at 7:24 pm
Parrish is doing exactly what he was drafted to do. The scouting was right I mean 4.35 forty great tackler he is going to be a star “Bob” you watch
August 6th, 2025 at 7:50 pm
Those two picks will both pan out. I’m very confident in both Morrison and Parrish.
August 6th, 2025 at 9:06 pm
He’s been the best coner in camp so far this year and watch he don’t start even if he finish camp playing better than the starting corner.
August 6th, 2025 at 9:10 pm
Parrish going to eat and Morrison will too. We’re perfectly suited for depth where we had injuries last season. I wanna see more ints and sacks from an improved defense.
August 6th, 2025 at 9:41 pm
Good point, Oneilbuc. He probably hasn’t mastered nose tackle assignments yet, and until he does , Todd keeps him on the sidelines. Gotta be that Swiss Army knife dude who plays every position.
August 6th, 2025 at 11:27 pm
Teacherman…. I know he’s not a spring chicken and if he needs plays off so be it but Lavonte stays out there! 4-1-6
August 6th, 2025 at 11:47 pm
Would love to see him stay in the mix ,learn and get better. Then 23 years later he’s a stud and running a pick back doin the deion high step !!
August 6th, 2025 at 11:48 pm
Joe makes no secret of his belief in Parrish. Here he’s calling for the rook to start.
What we don’t see is the same love for Morrison. Sounds like that rook is a step behind.
But behind who? Joe has spilled good ink — or bytes — on Hall and Vildor. Do those vets perform at a higher level, from what Joe has seen? Are the Bucs fixin to start the season with those six CBs?
August 7th, 2025 at 12:27 am
He is. No shame in that. He’s coming back from surgery. So long as he doesn’t have to guard Mike Evans, Morrison looks solid.
August 7th, 2025 at 6:07 am
Bowles repeatedly said Parish is an outside CB when we drafted him and during OTA’s. While all the media hype has been Morrison replacing Dean, why not Parrish replacing McCollum. Leave plenty of options for slot.
August 7th, 2025 at 10:14 am
The CB depth Licht built is intriguing. If a total injury disaster occurred and you had to go with Hall and-or Vildor (each with 26 career starts and both having good camps) as starters, could you survive? I think yes, and that’s building your roster from the bottom up to win a championship.
August 7th, 2025 at 11:09 am
this arjgument ignores coverage linebackers.
this is an important position to the bucs, be it hugh green, hardy, lynch (in his early days), quarles, brooks, and lavonte.
quiet camp by dennis is ok when it comes to injuries, but the status of this monster-man type position is not something im totally sold on