Jamel Dean Isn’t Getting The Message
October 4th, 2024
Bucs fans see it nearly every week.
Zyon McCollum often plays tight coverage while Jamel Dean plays nearly full-time prevent defense on the other side of the field.
When does it stop? Dean has morphed into a guy that plays scared.
Rondé Barber and Richard Sherman called out Dean last year. After the Bucs lost to Denver this season, Todd Bowles called out Dean for poor play and, in a backhanded way, for playing too soft.
Tonight, Joe was dumbfounded by how soft Dean played when it clearly wasn’t working for him, and the Falcons were taking advantage.
When Falcons receiver Darnell Mooney had a critical fourth-quarter drop on third down deep in Bucs territory, Dean opened the play by giving him a massive cushion and he just kept backpedaling. Mooney was about 6 yards off Dean when the ball hit Mooney in the chest.
Why is Dean so terrified of getting beat deep that he won’t cover anyone short?
Again, McCollum largely is getting the job done in the same role.
It’s no wonder that Dean is now riding a 34-game streak without an interception. How many big-money cornerbacks can boast that mark around the league? It’s no coincidence.
Joe doesn’t understand why Bucs coaches haven’t been able to get Dean to stop playing so soft. He does have freedom within Bowles’ system to tighten up, even when the Bucs are in zone.
October 4th, 2024 at 12:32 am
He appears to play very stiff, not looking athletic at all. He was never great but a couple of years ago he was near the ball and contesting catches. He is not half the player he was a couple of years ago. The NFL teams need to hold players accountable after they sign big money contracts. You are either a gamer or not. Dean needs some serious work to start playing like a high salary corner is supposed to.
October 4th, 2024 at 12:33 am
Cut him or bench him. Maybe that will get this guy to wake his soft ass up. Absolutely terrible.
October 4th, 2024 at 12:33 am
Remember when all the idiots in the comments were celebrating trading away Davis – and were so dumb they publicly said, they put on record, that Dean was better.
I remember.
October 4th, 2024 at 12:34 am
He is horrible and getting worse by the game. He plays with ZERO sense of urgency in coverage
He also spends more time on the ground than he does in coverage, dude is stumbling, tripping and falling while dropping easy interceptions all game long
He was a terrible, terrible investment but he was better than sorry Carlton Davis – I thoroughly enjoyed watching him get roasted repeatedly Monday night
Both of these guys were hand picked by Bowles…and they are both really bad at their jobs while getting rich
Wait, are they really Bidens by birth?
October 4th, 2024 at 12:34 am
Ufcguy32 Says:
October 4th, 2024 at 12:33 am
Cut him or bench him.
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Yeah, you’re only missing half your defense and you have no depth, but yeah, just cut him. Brilliant idea.
October 4th, 2024 at 12:35 am
Joe I’m about to be 34 with great athletic ability at 6′ 235lbs about to have a knee replacement…. I would still never give up as much leverage and yardage as he does. Also every time HE MISSES coverage or a TACKLE he falls or gets HURT love dean during our SB run just isn’t there now. Feel like he got paid off the GB game before the NFC championship…
October 4th, 2024 at 12:38 am
VOT Says:
he was better than sorry Carlton Davis – I thoroughly enjoyed watching him get roasted repeatedly Monday night
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If you watched that game on Monday and think Davis had a terrible night, your football IQ is literally zero.
October 4th, 2024 at 12:40 am
Joe, the problem is that the Bucs cannot bench dean, who would take his place? He is going to be targeted every game like VH3 was for being a soft zone sieve.
October 4th, 2024 at 12:47 am
He’s horrible. Gave up pretty much all the big plays tonight and he’s making 12 million dollars a year.🤡🤡🤡
October 4th, 2024 at 12:48 am
Rod- we need more depth all over on the D. Young guys are good but can’t carry you all season especially with the injuries.. Dean is better than Davis but I always thought he was better in man? Why have we had him in zone playing off? I feel like Dean is a ball hawk playing off now and we wonder why he’s not making plays.
Also anyone else feel like JTS has a decent game? This point I don’t see him as a snack guy but he seems to hold the edge pretty well and drop into coverage decently… Also if I see another big body drop into the middle of the field I might lose my mind lol.
Thoughts welcome??
October 4th, 2024 at 12:48 am
He has ZERO instincts. NONE. He NEVER even knows WHERE the ball is and he takes the WRONG angles, AND ‘turns’ (anticipating) the WRONG way, EVERY. Single. TIME. He’s AWFUL. Just HORRIBLE.
October 4th, 2024 at 12:50 am
🔥 t b
October 4th, 2024 at 12:50 am
If only someone who was able to ask questions to the coaches would ask why Dean plays off so often and appears to be regressing each and every game. I’m shocked he’s stuck around this long he has tight hips and is always playing soft in both coverage and in general. We’ve gotta have another corner that can give more and cost less.
And please go find a true edge rusher and have them constantly going after the QB.
October 4th, 2024 at 12:52 am
This is his last contract with the Bucs
October 4th, 2024 at 12:57 am
Bnasty25 Says:
October 4th, 2024 at 12:48 am
Rod- we need more depth all over on the D. Young guys are good but can’t carry you all season especially with the injuries.. Dean is better than Davis but I always thought he was better in man? Why have we had him in zone playing off? I feel like Dean is a ball hawk playing off now and we wonder why he’s not making plays.
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Davis was your #1 corner who was best in man, Dean was maybe slightly better than zone, but both him and Davis were drafted to be man corners.
As for playing off on zone, if the coaches want them playing up, the coaches will tell them. It’s not like Dean is ignoring the coaches and just deciding to play 10 yards off the LOS, that’s on Bowles.
With that said, Dean was terrible tonight, but also looked slow – and that’s the one thing Dean isn’t. I guess we’ll find out that he’s playing injured and probably shouldn’t have been out there as he looked like he had no speed or agility, which again, has never been an issue for him.
I hope we find out he’s injured, because he was terrible tonight. But the Bucs are also running out of bodies.
But thankfully they brought in a backup punter, so at least they addressed that.
October 4th, 2024 at 12:59 am
Bnasty25 – As for JTS, I’ve never been on the hate bandwagon with him. I think he’s a middling starter, will never be a star, but you need guys like that to round out a roster. People get triggered because of his draft capital, so they want to run him off the team, but he’s a guy who will likely play a long time in the NFL, even if he’s never a Pro Bowler.
October 4th, 2024 at 1:04 am
@Rod I’ll agree with ya Dean looked terrible tonight. He did also look slow but the kid has never been very agile. He’s got tight hips and plays straight up and down. Watch him walk entire body is stiff walks like Frankenstein. I’m tired of the 12yd cushions and back pedaling at the snap of the ball.
October 4th, 2024 at 1:05 am
CB talent is clearly the Bucs greatest talent deficiency. Dean is done after thi season.
October 4th, 2024 at 1:08 am
Dean has a hard time changing directions because he doesn’t have fluid hips. He’s like a statue. Playing soft compensates for that.
October 4th, 2024 at 1:21 am
Someone needs to coach Dean up, but he doesn’t. Who would that be?
October 4th, 2024 at 1:28 am
Will Says:
October 4th, 2024 at 1:04 am
@Rod I’ll agree with ya Dean looked terrible tonight. He did also look slow but the kid has never been very agile. He’s got tight hips and plays straight up and down.
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I mean he didn’t look like he could move, like he was literally stiff – not just by NFL standards, but by 50-year old man standards.
Hopefully he just had some nagging injury or something, because otherwise he’s suddenly developed osteoarthritis.
October 4th, 2024 at 3:06 am
Dean was dreadful tonight. Embarrassing performance by him.
October 4th, 2024 at 3:51 am
Zyon played very well tonight. When Antoine is healthy (please god let it be against the Aints) , bench worthless Dean, give Isaac and Izzy a chance to
play aggressive, Izzy can play both outside and slot, that should dictate where Isaac goes if he’s better outside. You can’t be worse than Dean was tonight. Rod Toast Jones wouldn’t have been worse.
October 4th, 2024 at 4:16 am
Yup. Maybe we traded the wrong CB. I mean both were up for trade, right? Certainly a shame. As soon as he got paid he started slipping. It’s shameful. Put in Thomas at this point. Give someone else a chance.
October 4th, 2024 at 5:16 am
I told ya’ll look @ the other thread.
Dean he soft. Look I said it he’s garbage.
Bucky no worries. Kobe air ball free throws against San Antonio back in day.
U good Bucky👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
October 4th, 2024 at 5:17 am
How about making adjustments, when getting killed in the middle of the field.
October 4th, 2024 at 7:26 am
How bout putting Tyrek Funderburk in. I’ve said over the past two years that Dean plays passive, stiff, confused, n is very timid. He’s a poor tackler n has been in the league too long to still play like a rookie. He looks lost n scared. Get him outta of there.
October 4th, 2024 at 7:45 am
Dean sucks. Sorry but he makes no plays and as stated always 10 yards off the wide receiver. I’d rather them let Izien play press corner since Dean clearly can’t. I hope this is our last season seeing him in a Buc uniform because he doesn’t help their defense in anyway!
October 4th, 2024 at 8:26 am
Both Dean and Davis are trash….they are system corners who need a pass rush at best.
October 4th, 2024 at 8:31 am
He’s been terrible for years why are we so confused by this
October 4th, 2024 at 8:44 am
VOT.
Leave the political BS out of a football site.
The secondary played like sh!t. Nothing wrong with Liam and the offense. ‘Someone’ shut them off.
October 4th, 2024 at 9:06 am
I’ve said for two years now Dean just isn’t contributing. Do you ever see him in a gang tackle effort? No. Last night he was not in a play because he tripped over his own feet and fell to the ground. He plays WAY too far off the receivers. Get rid of this guy.
October 4th, 2024 at 9:07 am
Dean was never supposed to get the contract extension he supposed to had been released or allowed to hit free agent. He should be benched and cut at the end of the yr. Go and get someone from free agency or someone’s team anyone would be better than Dean. He should not be a buc
October 4th, 2024 at 9:24 am
I hope he’s thinking about the next team he wants to play for.. I like seeing the other team not get the reception, but when you have opportunities you need that ball in your hands not slapped on the ground.. the lesson needs to be taught a little harder. Let’s Go Baby!!!
October 4th, 2024 at 9:40 am
I think we need to give Funderburk some reps.
I bet he wasn’t active yesterday or he would have gotten some.
Dean has been a liability which is sad given his speed and size. His instincts are terrible.
He will not be with us next year and we will need to draft a corner in round 1 or 2.
October 4th, 2024 at 9:45 am
For all you folks bashing Dean, consider that there MIGHT be more going on out there than meets the eye.
For starters, Dean has 32 solo tackles (plus 10 assists). That’s the MOST on the Bucs through these first 5 games, by far. Next closest is LVD with 23 solo tackles (plus 14 assists). When was the last time a CB led the Bucs in solo and combined tackles?
For another, Dean isn’t normally slow (for those who remember, he clocked a 4.30 in the 40 yd at his Combine workout). And yet, he looks to me like he’s lumbering out there, and several times I’ve seen him get beaten deep (not that the opposition hit on each one of them). He only played 13 games last season, and I’m not sure he’s back to 100% this season. Look at his stats …
o 2019: Games-13 … Targets-52 … Complete-26 … Percent-50.0% … TDs-3 … Yds/Completion-12.2 … PDs-17
o 2020: Games-14 … Targets-70 … Complete-43 … Percent-61.4% … TDs-3 … Yds/Completion-9.3 … PDs-7
o 2021: Games-15 … Targets-66 … Complete-32 … Percent-48.5% … TDs-0 … Yds/Completion-10.0 … PDs-9
o 2022: Games-15 … Targets-65 … Complete-36 … Percent-55.4% … TDs-4 … Yds/Completion-13.0 … PDs-8
o 2023: Games-13 … Targets-56 … Complete-37 … Percent-66.1% … TDs-3 … Yds/Completion-13.1 … PDs-4
o 2024: Games-5 … Targets-30 … Complete-21 … Percent-70.0% … TDs-0 … Yds/Completion-12.0 … PDs-4
His stats fell off a cliff starting in 2022, but stayed bad in 2023. Looks like 2024 is just a continuance of those 2 years. So again, what changed starting in 2022 that might’ve adversely impacted Dean’s game? Well, for 1 thing our pass rush took a hit when Suh & JPP left after 2021. For another, the Secondary makeup changed when Whitehead left after 2021. Plus Bowles seems to have changed his defensive strategy in 2022 when he became HC to focus more on pass defense (our defense gave up a lot fewer passing yards in 2022, but we paid for it in terms of allowing more passing TDs & more rushing yardage).
IOW, Jamel’s issues are probably more complex than simply saying ‘He stinks’. If we were a fly on the wall in defensive meetings, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to find out that he’s being asked to provide some middle coverage (to cover for Britt) that’s driving him to play a ‘compromise position’ in terms of coverage. Probably did the same in 2022 & 2023 when Devin White was having his ‘coverage issues’.
October 4th, 2024 at 9:49 am
We must trade Dean to the eagles for Zyon twin brother Tristan 2 zyons are better than 1…dean is toast I knew london was gonna fry him last meeting 6 catches 96 yards this meeting 12 for 154 dean is not him…Todd bowles needs to bench him
October 4th, 2024 at 9:55 am
@defense rules
Nice cover up but Britt plays on the other side of the field has nothing to do with dean helping…I guess Kyle Pitts was deans assignment on the first drive. Dean is garbage if your corner is the leading tackler that means teams are picking in his because he’s soft and not twitchy…back shoulder throws he’s not even athletic enough to get around a back shoulder throw. The real issues is Winfield and now whitehead hurt we need izien back in the slot he’s a menace there he’s a decent cross trained safety but the nickel is where he thrives…he cam take deans spot and do a lot better than dean
October 4th, 2024 at 9:56 am
@canabuc
Funderburk was active just didn’t get in he eas dressed just never got in outside of St
October 4th, 2024 at 10:05 am
Rod Munch … ‘Davis was your #1 corner who was best in man, Dean was maybe slightly better than zone, but both him and Davis were drafted to be man corners.’
Some fans conveniently forget that Rod. Just like they also forget that Jamel had had a lot of injuries during his high school & college career, that he overcame. Kinda wondering now though if those earlier injuries might be taking their toll. Also, convinced that the coaches are the ones NOT using him more in man-to-man. Gut feel right now is that everyone in the Secondary is being asked to modify things to minimize issues arising from lack of MIDDLE coverage.
The guy I want the Bucs to replace is Britt. Watching him in coverage last night made me cringe (as did the lack of pressure on Cousins on most plays). There were monstrous, gaping holes in the coverage all night. I’d also almost be willing to bet that our Secondary made more solo tackles last night than in any game for several years (Dean: 9 – Smith: 9 – McCollum: 7 – Izien: 5 – Whitehead: 4 … 34 solo tackles in just the Secondary). That’s never a good thing.
October 4th, 2024 at 1:17 pm
Dean and Britt need to be on a flexibility/yoga plan. Stiff af
October 4th, 2024 at 1:42 pm
He doesn’t have dawg in him. He needs an All DAWG MENTALITY!!! Until then he will continuously be ABUSED!!!
October 4th, 2024 at 2:41 pm
The Bryce Hall loss looms large this morning. In a game like that, Dean needs to not be soft and if he’s that scared and the team is nervous about getting beat deep, put the Safety over him. In a game like that, if Bowles wants to be conservative, rush 3 guys. Play tight man, keep the LBs tight in the middle watching the RBs and underneath stuff, let the safeties hunt.
Easier said than done but we knew early the rush wasn’t getting home. The secondary didn’t play well enough. Whitehead didn’t have a great game. Bowles and the scheme got constantly exposed. Despite all that, we were in control of that game until 1:30 seconds left. Unfortunately that was enough to blow it. Good news is they see the tape, they see that in that situation play action and Evans is live out there for easy score. Can’t be conservative especially when D can’t stop them.
I also wish since the DL wasn’t getting home they would have stayed tighter. Cousins was going over the middle non stop. We were opening that up up front by trying to get around the edge. Some hands and arms up while maintaining gaps would have been nice.
October 4th, 2024 at 9:13 pm
The only thing I can give Dean credit for was on the final couple of drives, he was swarming to the ball and tackling very well / hard, instead of letting ATL players ragdoll like they had been earlier in the night.
Of course, he also gave up huge cushions and completions which help ATL win the game… What makes the cushions even more perplexing though, is that Dean is really fast. He can (or at least should be able to) keep up with WRs, so there’s no need for the cushion to begin with.
Overall very unhappy with how much he’s regressed compared to a few years ago. He’s used to look instinctive, but raw. Now he just looks bad.