Bucs Wave Goodbye To Jordan Whitehead
February 26th, 2025
Gone.
Maybe Tykee Smith will get his wish sooner than he thought.
The Bucs today, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, told safety Jordan Whitehead his services are no longer needed. Thus ending the second and likely final stint of Whitehead’s Bucs days.
The Bucs brought Whitehead back last year on a two-year contract and the Bucs thought they were getting back the hard-hitting safety from their Super Bowl-winning season. Instead, they got a safety who displayed too many loafs for Joe’s liking — and he got hurt.
To Whitehead’s credit, he toughed through a pec injury that probably should have sidelined him for the year.
With the Bucs not picking up Whitehead’s option for 2025, the Bucs will save some $4.5 million in cap savings.
February 26th, 2025 at 2:50 pm
Tykee is a keeper and will excel at safety. Love Jordan’s playing style, but unfortunately for him, his body can’t keep cashing those checks. Smart move.
February 26th, 2025 at 2:51 pm
Licht said they might still bring him back, depending on his health
February 26th, 2025 at 2:52 pm
Why did he suck when he wasn’t injured last year? That’s the big question to me.
February 26th, 2025 at 3:00 pm
Not a surprise. Bowles and Licht have made some good moves this off season. Hope it continues and hope we see good results from the moves on the field this season
February 26th, 2025 at 3:15 pm
Sad that he got coached up by Saleh in New York and immediately regressed with the Bucs defense.
February 26th, 2025 at 3:16 pm
did bowles watch any tape on whitehead when he played for the jets or is bowles only involved with hiring offensive coordinators ?
February 26th, 2025 at 3:23 pm
Now resign Izzy long term before its too late
February 26th, 2025 at 3:28 pm
@BucU,
How’s your reading comprehension that bad?
February 26th, 2025 at 3:34 pm
let him recover and in a few months if he recovers and is 100% He could be a vet option for depth if we need it and for cheap.
February 26th, 2025 at 3:40 pm
My impression was that Whitehead performed well for the Jets. I thought he was bringing some newly refined cover skills to add to his tackling. A major dissapointment.
February 26th, 2025 at 3:41 pm
Tykee isn’t just a stud player, he’s already a team leader. I won’t be surprised if he’s a team captain in 1-2 years. Good for him.
February 26th, 2025 at 3:52 pm
He’ll go to Detroit
February 26th, 2025 at 3:57 pm
I would like him back I want a prove it year from him!
February 26th, 2025 at 4:03 pm
Aqualung
Ummm theres a reason Saleh let him go….
Also, are you not aware Todd Bowles coached up Whitehead when he was a great safety the super bowl year?
February 26th, 2025 at 4:04 pm
I was so excited to have him back but ended up being very disappointed. That’s a shame. I hope it’s nothing physical with him, and this serves as a wake up call so become the player we all knew and loved.
February 26th, 2025 at 4:05 pm
Correction: so he can become the player we all knew and loved. (My editing skills suck)
February 26th, 2025 at 4:09 pm
I don’t think he loafed; I think he’s just not as fast or willing to hit like a truck anymore. His body is just too small to play the way he does for long.
That said, thanks for the memories, JW. That hit that caused the fumble in the NFC Championship game was probably what won it for us.
February 26th, 2025 at 5:02 pm
Simmons, you might be right. I fear the same thing is going on with Winfield and it started last season. Smaller safeties bodies just break down after three or four years.
February 26th, 2025 at 5:06 pm
If a Todd coached anyone up, it’s because he was a full time defensive coordinator.
Since he’s been half-each, not so much coaching up. A pirate ship full of regression, though.
February 26th, 2025 at 5:15 pm
Don’t be surprised if he ends up in San Francisco.
February 26th, 2025 at 5:27 pm
Good move. More to come as the defense will see many personnel changes in. 2025.
February 26th, 2025 at 5:30 pm
Joe … You’re on fire with all these great articles. Mega kudos.
February 26th, 2025 at 5:33 pm
I’m sad to see Jordan go, but it’s understandable.
Like everyone else, I thought we were getting back the hard-hitter we saw during the Super Bowl season.
Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. Even when he wasn’t injured he just didn’t seem to have that same killer instinct he had during his first tenure with the team.
A neck injury is nothing to sneeze at. Especially a broken or cracked vertebrae.
A year off wouldn’t be a bad thing for someone in his position. You can always leave the door open, and after that, who knows?
February 26th, 2025 at 6:32 pm
Frankly, I couldn’t care less about Whitehead one way or the other. He came nowhere close to the hopes that I or the Bucs had for him. At this point in his career, he seems like an emergency backup (a.k.a. veteran’s minimum salary player). What I DO care about is who the Bucs will sign. We need additions to the team and on defense, defense, defense. Losing someone who had no real value is a “so what?”, like subtracting zero from negative one.
February 26th, 2025 at 6:36 pm
Looks like some decent safety prospects will be available in the 3rd & 4th rounds.
February 26th, 2025 at 7:31 pm
OK no more excuses at safety unless he regresses in this system and fans start blaming the player again.
February 26th, 2025 at 7:39 pm
Now we need to draft Emmanwori….or if Godwin doesnt come back, go get Egbuka.
February 26th, 2025 at 7:53 pm
He will do great in his next place.
February 26th, 2025 at 7:58 pm
Probably the most disappointing player on the Bucs last year, IMHO
No hate for Whitehead, but he was just a shell of his former self.
February 26th, 2025 at 8:20 pm
No big surprise.
Whitehead didn’t play well and has zero guaranteed money in his deal.
Plus – he is recovering from a season ending injury.
Plenty of solid safeties will be available in the 4th or 5th round this draft…
February 26th, 2025 at 8:26 pm
Last year he never looked right. I don’t know about loafing, but he looked sluggish, and injuries will do that.
No cap hit on this one, only savings, so no surprise they’d cut him. However I’d certainly bring him back again on a cheaper deal if he was willing to come back – maybe for more like $2m or something – assuming the health issues are cleared up.
February 26th, 2025 at 8:43 pm
Dean should be next.
February 26th, 2025 at 9:17 pm
My theory is cutting him save money, and he needs time to get healthy anyway. They didn’t want to pay him for not playing.
February 26th, 2025 at 10:03 pm
Agree with DR ^ – off-season is going to through pretty fast if Joe keeps up the great content. Whitehead was very disappointing. 2 great safeties was going to forgive a lot of sins on this defense in my sad imagination. Also as a fan I feel like this guy plays with fire and heart, for the most part.
February 27th, 2025 at 1:15 am
Sad that this didn’t work out as planned and that it ended with a troubling injury, but apparently necessary to move on. Wishing Jordan the best and sending prayers for a full recovery.