Bucs Hierarchy Challenged By Cornerback Evaluation
March 5th, 2025
It’s a common thought that the Bucs need a cornerback in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Maybe starter Jamel Dean stays at his bloated salary. Maybe he reworks his contract or is cut. Regardless, the Bucs’ No. 3 corner (Bryce Hall) was lost last season in Week 1 and that became a weakness as Dean missed several games.
The Bucs need more cornerback depth. Joe is holding out hope it comes in free agency or via trade.
So Joe was very intrigued to hear Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht and his former assistant GM John Spytek, the new Raiders underboss to Tom Brady, answer the same scouting question the same way in two different interviews.
Each was asked at the NFL Scouting Combine last week on PFT Live to name their most difficult position to evaluate. And both Licht and Spytek said it’s cornerback.
PFT Live crew member Chris Simms, the former Bucs quarterback, noted among other executives “safeties” is a popular answer to that question, along with linebacker.
Spytek replied that safeties usually show up on film quickly and consistently but cornerbacks are a different animal because the good ones don’t always get much action. Licht had the same answer and noted scouting them can challenge patience and an evaluator has to look deeper into what’s happening when the ball doesn’t come their way.
Regardless, it seems scouting cornerback isn’t smooth at One Buc Palace, though Licht and his crew selected Carlton Davis, Jamel Dean and Sean Murphy-Bunting last decade, three core starts of the 2020 Super Bowl team.
All this cornerback chatter reminds Joe of when legendary Bucs cornerback Rondé Barber said Vernon Hargreaves was the third-most talented cornerback in Buccaneers history.
March 5th, 2025 at 11:24 am
Dean should be cut for all the obvious reasons. Cornerbacks need to cover, tackle and be ballhawks. Three strikes on Dean. What else should be added?
March 5th, 2025 at 11:29 am
Trade for this guy, trade for that guy, sign this bloated free agent contract, and then another. I mean, if we trade for the CB and we trade for the edge rusher, odds are we’ve shredded our draft, blown the cap, and can’t help other positions. Most of the time, it’s necessary to count on draft picks and value free agents to round out your team. If J03 were the GM, we’d be in cap he’ll, no draft picks, with an over the hill roster.
We can make one strategic trade and maybe one larger than average free agent signing. The rest of the answers have to be rookies or value free agents.
March 5th, 2025 at 11:46 am
If someone would tell the guys to, maybe, cover a receiver instead of giving him 7 yards + of cushion, it might make for a better pass defense. Just spitballing.
March 5th, 2025 at 11:52 am
Find a better nickname for Licht, Joe, I don’t see you bringing up the ring of honor every time you mention other current ROH worthy Bucs like Mike Evans, and Lavonte David.
Last time I checked, Jason Licht isn’t retired and has lots of holes to fill with this team specifically on the defense. Don’t have to bring up his lifetime achievement award for him every article.
Licht’s run of 4 straight division titles immediately following a Super Bowl win is very rare NFL territory.–Joe
March 5th, 2025 at 12:06 pm
Hargreaves ended up being a pretty big disappointment. He couldn’t hold Ronde’s jock. He was supposed to replace Brent Grimes. Grimes was just really short, outside of that he was a solid corner. If he was 6 ft tall, he would have had a shot at All Pro.
March 5th, 2025 at 12:14 pm
The NFL is a “what have you done for me lately” league. Not a fan of bringing up lifetime achievement awards when players and front office members are still active.
The Eagles ran Doug Pedersen out of town after a super bowl….
Licht has had success, obviously, but Bucs fans have set it up in a way where Jason Licht is now immune to criticism (because of 2020) And all of the criticism goes to Todd Bowles Even when Licht Has played a major role in building a cruddy defense.
March 5th, 2025 at 12:38 pm
Injuries always play a huge role in the success or lack there of in any given year and the Bucs had a boatload last year. That being said, we went about as far as we could last season. Everyone wanted us to resign Dean when he was a free agent. Remember that? Now after a disappointing season, it’s all Licht’s fault. Fickle fans for sure.
March 5th, 2025 at 12:41 pm
Tbbucs, That’s Joe’s schtick. You should know by now. No mention of it or complaint Will do anything other than reaffirm his stubbornness in using it.
March 5th, 2025 at 12:45 pm
Also, T, using that Ingratiating moniker, knowing the GM reads this blog, doesn’t hurt in them getting exclusive interviews with him.
March 5th, 2025 at 12:48 pm
Chiefs won 9 straight division titles peppered in with 3 superbowls just saying.
March 5th, 2025 at 1:45 pm
whats the point of bowles a defensive minded coach who played at defensive back if you need a cb he should be able to pick one out as he does offensive coordinators lol
March 5th, 2025 at 3:16 pm
The issue has not been the selection of good cornerbacks. Its the matter of keeping them on the field.
March 5th, 2025 at 3:59 pm
We never should have let Murphy Bunting leave.
Our Super Bowl defense proves
1. You must have two incredible OLB’s like JPP and Barrett.
And
2. You must have 3 starting caliber corners on the field.
March 5th, 2025 at 10:56 pm
I agree with ronde the only prob was he wasn’t developed by mike smith then when Bucco bruce got here it was to late. People hate on Bowles but he’s developed some DBs Dean Davis Edwards bunting windfield whitehead Zyon I mean the list goes on and yea none are hall of famers but all are starters on other teams and some helped us go thru the gauntlet of QBs to win a SB. Bowles could have done the same with Vernon but that’s the past
March 6th, 2025 at 3:13 am
Hargreaves was talented but sadly lacked Ronde’s character and somehow, lacked any motivation to be great in the NFL. Sad really.
I think many talented CBs are handcuffed by Roger Goodell and his bud Riichie”s rule changes. They are convinced we need moare flags and more points.
Also few college coaches teach these guys how to tackle. We got lots of great athletes who don’t know how to play. They don’t face many Pro style offenses in college and it is no small wonder we have a hard time finding good corners.
Go Bucs!
Go Bucs!