Rondé Barber Explains Antoine Winfield Move To Nickel, Talks Tykee Smith
July 30th, 2024
Hall of Fame Bucs cornerback Rondé Barber.
The Bucs are quick to say Antoine Winfield Jr. is the greatest safety in the National Football League.
They’re not quick to talk about why he was moved to nickel cornerback two seasons ago.
Winfield was a Pro Bowl safety in 2021, then Todd Bowles thought he could help the team best at nickel in 2022. It wasn’t the wisest move.
Now, for yet another season, the Bucs are seeking a long-term answer at nickel. Perhaps it’s rookie Tykee Smith out of the University of Georgia?
The greatest nickel cornerback in team history, Hall of Famer Rondé Barber, talked about that yesterday on the Buccaneers’ YouTube channel live show from training camp.
Barber noted how the nickel position in Bowles’ defense is not the one he played in his 16-year career.
“Most of his nickels have been safety-like bodies. Christian Izien last year, I mean, he’s technically a free safety; obviously, he was asked to play inside as a nickel,” Barber said.
“You’re being asked to do a lot. You’re being asked to blitz. You’re being asked to cover. But most importantly in Todd Bowles’ defense, you got to be able to tackle. I mean, that’s why two years ago he wanted to make Antoine Winfield his primary nickel because he knew what he was going to get in terms of run support and the ability to be physical in the traffic. He’s got to find that out of Tykee Smith, if he is that guy. And I think if he’s able to show that, he might be the guy. He’s got the mindset to play in there. People have raved about his study habits. And I think he’s a little bit more athletic than Christian Izien was last year.”
Interesting. While Barber says Winfield was moved to nickel for his tackling prowess, the stats-nerd community (that some fans treat as gospel) would tell you Winfield had tackling issues as a young safety and when he played nickel.
Given how Barber is tight with the Bucs’ front office, it sounds to Joe like the organization believes Smith is the favorite to be the 2024 nickel. He’s physical and smart, and he can blitz, which is critical for a successful Bowles nickel.
And when Barber says “people have raved” about Smith’s study habits, rest assured that comes directly from coaches and/or front office types in the know.
July 30th, 2024 at 10:24 am
“Most of his nickels have been safety-like bodies” In fact Tykee, J-White, and Win are all about the same size 5-10 and 200, and ran about 4.50 speed.
My guess is that Izien is little quicker and better in coverage than Tykee, but Tykee has great instincts for the ball and a little stronger tackling. Bowles will start Izien early in the year and gradually increase snaps for Tykee.
In passing downs, I like the idea of having both Tykee and Izien on the field with Britt coming out.
July 30th, 2024 at 10:29 am
People also raved about Izien last season. How he opened eyes and all that. Right away they draft a guy to challenge him. Obviously they wanted better at the nickel. They didn’t feel an UDFA was the long term answer and was just pumping up the solution they had.
When they drafted Smith I thought it was a head scratcher because he’s the kind of scrappy college player who has the heady intangibles at that level to be a standout but at the NFL level a little undersized especially for a nickel expected to play in the box. Should be able to tackle RBs, but he’s going to get mismatched against TEs. Such was the issue last year – TEs ran wild against the Bucs (although they did squeeze TEs in the Red Zone).
So the Bucs rightly figured out “we can’t cover TEs” – so what do they do? Draft a 5’10 200 lb spark plug better suited to play up against backs in the short passing game and hopefully close on slot receivers in zone.
This pick has Bowles name all over it. Smith plays with a chip on his shoulder and Bowles favors those guys. I’m thinking probably coach has a plan for facing TEs. Hopefully.
July 30th, 2024 at 11:00 am
has to be able to tackle???
should that not be a requirement for every defensive player…all players for that matter
July 30th, 2024 at 11:09 am
@Mostly Peaceful Trask Fan
I think you’re on to something. I googled how defenses in the NFL matched up against TE’s across the league. Turns out we allowed the 2nd most receptions to TE’s (100) and the 3rd most yards (1047).
July 30th, 2024 at 11:12 am
Georgia’s “star” position functions the same exact way as Bowels’ “moneybacker/$LB” he had Deone Buccannon playing in Arizona and tried to institute here back in 2019.
Difference is Bowles had to mold Bucannon into that player in his defense as a rookie, but Tykee is coming in to potentially pick up where he left off as playmaker for the Dawgs.
IIRC, last season was them most teams used the 3 WR sets and in my mind knowing Bowles dislikes constantly churning subs in and out of the defensive backfields the best way to combat that is to create a role where a player can help in run defense but also help be an asset in coverage. Instead of using LVD to cover TEs, just have Smith account for’em which is something Bowles tried with Neal puttin him in the box with Dee Delaney back deep with Tweeze.
July 30th, 2024 at 11:18 am
Agree with you guys about the TE’s. Typically LVD covers the TE’s and his stats for reception% aren’t bad. It just seems that TE’s are targeted a lot. Now is the time for Bowles to try out Tykee, Isaac, and Josh Hayes against the TE’s.
July 30th, 2024 at 11:22 am
When Ronde speaks
People will listen
July 30th, 2024 at 12:03 pm
It was a coaching decision that blew up in the play offs
July 30th, 2024 at 12:22 pm
They didn’t say exactly WHAT they didn’t like about Izien, I thought he killed it
July 30th, 2024 at 12:34 pm
^^^
Same, he & Merriweather even making the team says alot about them as UDFA and a credit to our scouting department.
July 30th, 2024 at 12:39 pm
Most of the time Strong safety and strong side backers cover the tight end which is why Ryan Neal and Devin White crippled the defense last season and were the primary reason the Bucs gave up so much yardage to TE’s and everyone else. Izien played great he is just short 5’8” and can be beat by larger TE’s. I think the idea of picking up Tykee is the Bucs will play more 5-1-5 this year than previous years.
July 30th, 2024 at 12:55 pm
“I think the idea of picking up Tykee is the Bucs will play more 5-1-5 this year than previous years.”
*4-2-5, just make the ILB interchangeable w/a NB-S guy and you can defend 3 & 4 WR sets w/o giving anything up in the box or having to sub. We rarely put 5 DLmen/OLBs on the LOS outside of a bear front or goal line D.
Devin White was actually “better” in coverage than David last season, believe it or not though David was in coverage twice as much as White and it’s been that way since 2019.
July 30th, 2024 at 12:59 pm
Rich people problems. The Bucs really have three guys that can play nickel; Christian Izien, probably Tykee Smith and in a emergency, Antoine Winfield.
July 30th, 2024 at 1:08 pm
I figure OCs are going to use presnap motion and cross routes to force nickels to cover TEs.
Watch some of last year’s tape. It did happen, but from what I saw they went early because it’s an obvious mismatch play. However late in games when they wanted to drive the stake in the heart they targeted Neal with an assortment of receivers – that’s after they baited on the short zone mismatches. That’s well documented on this board.
In steps Whitehead and Smith. Upgrade over Ryan and Izien? 100% and especially Whitehead who is elite and Bucs got at a bargain.
Undoubtedly Bowles was well aware of this deficiency as they addressed the problem as a priority.
Bowles is one heck of a DC. To put together this kind of a defense without a raw pass rush is no small achievement.
Too bad he doesn’t know ish about QBs.
I expect the Bucs to be a good defensive team – top ten certainly if their young edge rushers start creating havoc. Then Bowles will attack.
Unfortunately Bucs will struggle to score more than 20 PPG. 9-8/8-9 is my prediction. Unless something unexpected happens – like a certain QB getting his shot and throwing for 270 YPG. Then look tf out.
July 30th, 2024 at 1:10 pm
@Dude thanks for the correction. I mixed up my formation after reading another’s comment on the Bucs playing the Eagles 5-1-5 during the playoffs.
I believe Bowles limited Devin’s responsibility in the pass game and put it on LVD so much because Devin was pretty useless unless he was moving forward.
July 30th, 2024 at 2:16 pm
“The greatest nickel cornerback in team history”
—-
Huh? Team history? You mean just history, period. There’s no qualifiers with that.
July 30th, 2024 at 3:42 pm
One of the things not being talked about is Britt’s weaknesses in coverage. I could definitely see Dennis and LVD manning the middle on third and longs. Bowles said that he has special packages for Dennis, I see him being the nickel LB
July 30th, 2024 at 4:05 pm
@A Bucs Fan
No sweat, we ran that 4-2-5 a lot last season and even did it where the safties lined up as ILBs in early down situations. When you slow this defense down and look at it on tap, and start to see the variety of concepts Bowles mixes between the front 6-7, or the back end you get a feel for what the players mean by it being “complex”.
@Mostly Peaceful
“Bowles is one heck of a DC. To put together this kind of a defense without a raw pass rush is no small achievement.”
We maintained a 12.4% blitz rate in 2023, one of 3 playoff teams that didn’t finish in the top half of pressure, BUT we also finished with the 2nd highest untouched blitz pressures where the extra man was able to get the QB of their spots/sack on 26 blitzes. We used that tact to keep Jalen Hurts uncomfortable and pressured him on 57% of our 31 blitzes in that game. Almost nobody gave/gives our D credit for holding the Eagles 16 points below their ppg average to the point the offense could’ve score 11 points(like in week 3) and we still would’ve had a shot at winning.
July 30th, 2024 at 4:59 pm
I was really, really happy about the Tykee Smith Pick. He was one of my favorite players in the draft. Tough, instinctive player. that being said, I thought Izien played well last season, and I think he has all the tools to progress and become a great player as well. I think Smith can really play a hybrid, safety/nickel/lb type role, while Izien is more a traditional nickel type. Bowles can factor them both in.
Also, I’m really excited to see how 27 has progressed. I feel McCollum and Britt starting this year speaks volumes about Licht and our stability. Draft, groom and promote from within! Sounds like a blueprint for success.
July 30th, 2024 at 7:58 pm
I’ve thought Izien has serious potential from last year. Looking for a great battle for the best.