The Bucs Paid For Playmakers. What Did They Get?
October 22nd, 2023
Cornerback Jamel Dean.
Joe often writes here about player production. It matters.
Many stats try to hide that reality, but they can’t.
Just ask Rondé Barber, for example, who is quick to say Bucs cornerback Carlton Davis won’t ever be considered a top player at his position until he starts forcing turnovers.
Davis has played in three games this season and hasn’t forced a turnover. He has three official passes defensed. Fellow big-money cornerback Jamel Dean has zero passes defensed in 2023, per league data. He hasn’t forced a fumble, either.
Dean and Davis have been banged up this season but neither is on the official injury report any longer. Allegedly, they’re 100 percent today and awaiting a young quarterback that tossed three picks last week.
Joe’s broader point here is that the Bucs need these young Super Bowl veterans in their primes need to step up and earn their massive paychecks.
The Bucs must have more. Dean and Davis playing to their capabilities can take the Tampa Bay defense from very good to great.
Massive, massive game against the Falcons today. Joe sure hopes the Falcons walk out of The Licht House mumbling about how damn good Dean and Davis are — in coverage and as angry and willing tacklers in the run game.
October 22nd, 2023 at 10:11 am
Fierce pass rush on 3rd and long and enabling Davis and Dean to play man would certainly help.
October 22nd, 2023 at 10:15 am
Dean made A tackle, and got injured. Davis has just as much trouble staying healthy. Neither can pick off a pass. For what they’re being paid both aren’t worth it. One, or both will be replaced next season. McCollum will start before long.
October 22nd, 2023 at 10:18 am
Rondé….13 years without missing a game. Un#$%#$@#%$ing real
October 22nd, 2023 at 10:33 am
TODAY the Bucs will end the day as HEROES or zeroes!…
October 22nd, 2023 at 10:45 am
Dean and Davis had low interception numbers in college. They have never been good at taking the ball away.
October 22nd, 2023 at 10:46 am
They lose today many narratives crumble
October 22nd, 2023 at 11:10 am
Huge pivotal game for this season!
GO BUC’S!!
October 22nd, 2023 at 11:10 am
Couldn’t agree more, Joe. I truly question Dean and Davis’s football character/mental toughness/passion for the game. Anytime either are injured, they seemingly always opt not to play. The year after they each got the bag, their play dropped off dramatically.
October 22nd, 2023 at 11:26 am
Hope today’s game marks yje day when all the new Bucs get on the same page with everyone else at OBP.
October 22nd, 2023 at 11:31 am
They’re both solid corners with good fundamentals, but the lack of takeaways is very frustrating. Bowles obviously doesn’t trust them in man coverage on 3rd down. He always calls soft zones in those situations. I like them but think they’re both overpaid.
October 22nd, 2023 at 11:41 am
“Joe’s broader point here is that the Bucs need these young Super Bowl veterans in their primes need to step up and earn their massive paychecks.”
It’s very difficult for any cornerback to cover wide receivers when quarterbacks have ALL DAY to throw the ball because our edge rushers are softer than a TEMPUR-Pedic mattress!
October 22nd, 2023 at 11:46 am
They got two Bums……
October 22nd, 2023 at 11:48 am
Zyon is much more of a ball hawk than Davis or Dean have ever been – ever. There is talent but no nose for the ball. Can’t expect that to change, but can hope. Certainly overpaid per production.
October 22nd, 2023 at 11:52 am
Anymore, I really have no idea how to judge our defensive backfield. It’s close to impossible to get interceptions when you’re playing 9 yards off the ball, and bailing on the snap. That much I do know.
I don’t think I have ever seen a defense blitz heavily, while simultaneously essentially giving up 8 yard passes at will. Counter productive.
October 22nd, 2023 at 11:56 am
Amazing to me that Davis & Dean were good enough to start on our Super Bowl team, playing for the same DC, and in the same system. Downright amazing.
October 22nd, 2023 at 11:56 am
As I said last week the Bucs have got to start playing a lot more man-to-man because that soft zone they play with the cornerbacks 8 to 10 yards off of the receiver is not going to get it done. You can’t just give the other team 7-yard passes all day long !! It just doesn’t work and they hardly ever play man to man. Zone defense, no matter what team always ends up with one or two men running wide open. Todd bowls you have to start playing a lot more man-to-man !!!!!
October 22nd, 2023 at 11:59 am
Bucs got a piece if caca made out of glass!
October 22nd, 2023 at 12:05 pm
I call it the “big contract curse”
It seems to happen a lot across the NFL, for various or whatever reasons.
The best answer would be: d) all the above
October 22nd, 2023 at 12:06 pm
If this team sucks up today…..I hope the crowd boos loudly.
October 22nd, 2023 at 12:06 pm
Pretty sure they are both man to man corners.. they are terrible in zone.
October 22nd, 2023 at 12:11 pm
This game worries me. A lot of times in the past when everyone is picking the Bucs to win they very much under-perform.
Will be very happy if my worries are in vain.
October 22nd, 2023 at 12:26 pm
National TE Day lol
Do we even have one of thise?
October 22nd, 2023 at 12:27 pm
Dean and Davis have both been fun and frustrating to watch.
October 22nd, 2023 at 12:29 pm
Completely agree
October 22nd, 2023 at 12:30 pm
Whats a Tight End?
October 22nd, 2023 at 12:32 pm
Sounds pretty cool. Let’s see.
October 22nd, 2023 at 12:32 pm
Picks happen a LOT more when the pass rush forces the QB into bad decisions
October 22nd, 2023 at 12:35 pm
Zyon McCollum will be one of the starting corners next year. We would have dead money on Dean if we let him go but Davis might be on an option year with no dead cap money if he is cut.
October 22nd, 2023 at 1:00 pm
PREACHHH!!!!! I like CD111 n dean but they have bin paid big money and need to play accordingly. I know why Jason did it. It’s a passing league these guys are young and above average and helped us win a Super Bowl and you don’t let young talent just walk out the door cough cough mark when he let Micheal Bennett walk. Step up guys
October 22nd, 2023 at 1:05 pm
Last year we were disgusted with Zyon because he made for a bad backup. THIS year we’re disgusted because he’s not the starter….
October 22nd, 2023 at 4:11 pm
David, Izien, Winfield and maybe McCollum are the only guys worth keeping. Kancey as well and maybe Vea.
Everyone else is average at best, and soft as diarrhea
October 22nd, 2023 at 4:13 pm
Gonna have to get out of this contract !!!
October 22nd, 2023 at 4:26 pm
Dean was known for poor effort… then, last season, in an interview before the season started he stated that he was more focused than usual because was in a contract year… he has a good season and we paid him. Now he is back to what he was before last season… go figure!! Is it needed a genius to understand what motivated him last season? And that as soon as he would get paid he would go back to being a mediocre corner? This is the kind of decision making that is ruining this team….
October 22nd, 2023 at 4:52 pm
Scotty made their longest play of the season against Davis!!!!
We made Ridder look like an All Pro
At the most critical moments we fold like a cheap tent