Cornerback Decisions
February 15th, 2020
“Jason, we shouldn’t have gambled on Vernon.”
For some reason, Bucco Bruce Arians and Todd Bowles thought Vernon Hargreaves could be the leader of the defensive backs room last season, an impact player and a valuable influence on a corps of rookies.
Call it Major Mistake No. 3b of the 2019 season.
What were they thinking? That didn’t make Joe feel good about the team’s personnel evaluation skills.
Hargreaves was launched after nine starts and landed with the Texans, and now he’s back on the street. Houston didn’t want to pay Year 5 of his Bucs rookie deal, which will be around $9 million.
Reviews of Hargreaves with the Texans had him checking in as ok, but far below the good production Houston got from cornerback Gareon Conley, a 2017 first-round pick they fleeced from the Raiders at last seasons’ trade deadline for a third-round pick.
There’s a divide at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters. Not everyone in the conference room believes the Bucs have a good defense, or enough talent in the cornerbacks stable. Among Sean Murphy-Bunting, Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean, there may not be a true “No. 1 corner” in the group.
And what great team is lacking a true No. 1 corner?
Dean made just five starts and was mysteriously benched in one game last season. Bucs fans have a lot to learn about his game.
Joe hopes the Bucs find a strong veteran cornerback or safety to throw into the competitive mix. His influence certainly couldn’t hurt, or will the Bucs plan to gift Dean, Davis and Murphy-Bunting starting jobs next season and just hope that’s a good plan.
February 15th, 2020 at 9:40 am
Please don’t start the Josh Norman talk.
February 15th, 2020 at 9:44 am
Bring back BAs love child vh3bust. After all BA said he was a #1 cb in this league. I hear 7eleven just turned him down….
February 15th, 2020 at 9:44 am
Jason Lite is a joke !
“Peter Principle” personified
remember his last contract …vague endorsement from the G’Boyz
February 15th, 2020 at 9:51 am
We need a couple of inforcers on this team from this draft …Safety and O/line!
February 15th, 2020 at 9:55 am
Our DB’s will play as well as our front seven permit. Keep a strong pass rush and a stifling run defense and our DB’s will be fine whether anybody wants to crown one of them a “legitimate #1” or not.
Do not gamble on that front seven…sign them all!!!
February 15th, 2020 at 9:57 am
More development and experience for these young men could result into a solid piece to building championship team. Throw the Glazer loot at the front seven and we have a defense with foundation to be good for many years.
February 15th, 2020 at 10:13 am
Have a hunch that TB had no choice but to keep VHIII at the start of the season. We had no money to buy a quality CB to replace him; we had Ryan Smith on suspension; we had Dean still recovering from an injury; and we had SMB slow developing. And oh ya, Vernon counted millions in dead Cap to boot if we cut him. But that’s all water under the bridge. Bigger question is what are we gonna do in 2020?
We’ve got a good CB foundation with Davis, Dean & SMB. I personally think that Ryan Smith is an adequate backup & a very good S/Ts player, and should be re-signed, then see what he does in Training Camp. MJ Stewart is a big puzzle IMO, and hasn’t shown much. We’ve got 3 other guys already signed who the Bucs list as CBs who have good size (Franklin 6’1″, Miller 6’2″ & Wilkins 6′) but I have no clue if they’re any good. Since we’ll probably keep 5 CBs, one of them may be the answer.
Our stable of Safeties is the proverbial ‘weak link’ in our defense IMO. Our starters from last year were smaller than our CBs (which seems strange to me), plus they’re not exceptionally fast. Right now we have Whitehead (5’10”), Edwards (5’10”), Dixon (5’10”) & Justin Evans under contract for 2020, but it doesn’t appear that Evans rehab is going all that well. I personally like what Andrew Adams did last year after coming aboard late (hey, he started 11 games for us last year which should make him a viable backup at least). Bucs should re-sign him. Also seems that they might be training Herb Miller as a Safety also (good size at 6’2″).
In any event, Bucs could use a veteran Safety in our Secondary. Lots of them available in free agency this year.
February 15th, 2020 at 10:20 am
how is jason licht still an nfl gm
February 15th, 2020 at 10:28 am
Go somewhere and find all of the people who will be free agents among Safeties from the other 31 teams in the NFL. You can find all somewhere at various sites on the Internet.
Let us discuss who would make a good fit for the Buccaneers among the available veteran safeties.
February 15th, 2020 at 10:29 am
uthsty Rhothdes Says:
February 15th, 2020 at 10:20 am
how is jason licht still an nfl gm
Because glazers have never had any intentions of fielding a competitive team since daddy went face down
February 15th, 2020 at 10:34 am
When Dean was on the field, he looked like a No1 corner. He seemed to have IT. Davis should be our 2 and Bunting as our nickel. I’m cool with With Ryan Smith as our 4. I think we’re good at corner.
February 15th, 2020 at 10:41 am
Dean will be a top 5 corner one day if he can stay healthy… That’s a big if too!!… But I do agree they could use an old vet type of corner… It doesn’t even have to be a corner really it could be a safety which is a position of need anyway… Just a calming voice for those kids in the huddle during high stakes situations… Doesn’t even have to be a huge playmaker just a solid fit that is good for the young guys…. But copy and save it right here that I said it first -Dean (again if he stays relatively healthy) will be a super star and possibly a hall of fame corner!! I know that’s crazy to say this early but watch that guy game! If he takes coaching well and cleans up just a few of his anticipatory techniques then he will be one of the best to ever play…. The guy is just natural and all that length and speed I’ve never seen a corner play as smoothly and effortless looking as this dude!! He’s the real deal and he’s just had to deal with injuries all his football life!!! Or others would see it too… I have been coaching middle and high school football for 8 years and I would kill to have a corner that moves and reacts the way Dean does!! I’m not sure I have ever seen more natural talent in a corner in my life!! Again if he gets coached up and stays healthy the guy will be one of the best ever
February 15th, 2020 at 10:48 am
Enough with this stupid talk about drafting a safety high in the draft. Safety is not a big priority. Top priority should be OL, then RB & QB. Possibly DL depending on the defensive FA. Then in the 4th rd. safety.
February 15th, 2020 at 10:51 am
I was thinking Trae Waynes before our guys started playing better last year. I wonder if we’ll try to move MJ Stewart to Safety (he doesn’t seem to have the physical traits to be a CB in our defense).
February 15th, 2020 at 11:02 am
Tavon Wilson 30 still a pretty good safety at a reasonable price.
February 15th, 2020 at 11:41 am
@Joe. Woooow!! U didn’t let my comment post!?! For what? I’ve rarely post and I’ve never said anything vulgar or nasty. WTH @Joe
The comment posted. –Joe’s Saturday intern
February 15th, 2020 at 12:09 pm
813
hey pal you holding up okay???? vh3bust sucks but I hate to see significant others hurt by the failures of their life partners
February 15th, 2020 at 12:09 pm
VH3 was dumped by the Texans, they’ll probably resign him on the cheap.
We do need a veteran at CB. Not a #1 though.
February 15th, 2020 at 12:10 pm
The “real fans” can’t wait until this is all blown up next offseason!!!!!!!!!!!!
hope the glazers finally do the leg work and background check for a “real” gm!!!!!!!!
go bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 15th, 2020 at 12:23 pm
So the “real fans” are rooting AGAINST their own team?
February 15th, 2020 at 1:17 pm
Yeah, they fell for VHIII at first but finally got wise. Dumped him mid-season. Let’s hope they don’t hold onto Winston too long too. He’s already on borrowed time.
February 15th, 2020 at 2:52 pm
A better number 1 corner would be great but at this point getting a number 1 corner is not close to the biggest need for this team.
I think Defense Rules and I most agree on the need for a 4th corner that can play on the Buc’s. If that guy is on the team great, if the coaching staff wants to look elsewhere we need to make sure that we have at least 4 corners that can cover in this defense.
I did not understand the comment:
What great team does not have a number 1 corner?
KC won this year. Did they have a clear number 1 corner? Did the Philadelphia Eagles have a great corner when they won?
February 15th, 2020 at 5:46 pm
VH3 had the skills.The hardest part of player evaluation is what’s in their head. Much like Vernon I think OJ Howard is somewhere in the middle. You can have all.the talent in the world but if the game study and practice isn’t just as important the player won’t perform.
I have a TON of faith in Dean and Davis.I want to see a little.more from Bunting I think we have three quality starters but crap for depth at the position. Ryan Smith is ok as a no.4 but I would like to see Dean or Davis shadow if the other were hurt.Smith can not cover a no.1. One solid corner addition will be all that is needed at the position.
Just keep the dline together and continue to not play the corners 15 yards off the line or.scrimmage. Soft coverage every down.will make any group of.dbs look like trash
February 16th, 2020 at 8:20 am
Oh, I think they knew better, Licht was the one who forced the issue. BA, and Bowles didn’t make the mistake of drafting VHBust, meathead did. He needed his first round pick to work out, and the coaches gave him his shot. Now if they can convince meathead to give up on Jameis we’ll be alright.
February 16th, 2020 at 10:43 am
Dean can cover & will be our #1 SMB has skills as well & could be a 1 or 2…
Our DB’s got much better in 2nd half of season… Yes, a decent Vet would help…