The Tampa Bay Buccaneers haven’t drafted a cornerback in the first round since 2016, nor a safety in the first round since 2012, the latter of which occurred before the arrival of current General Manager Jason Licht in 2014. That does not mean, however, that Licht and his crew have been ignoring the secondary over the last nine draft weekends. On the contrary, they attacked the safety and cornerback positions repeatedly and with much success from 2018 through 2020, and that played no small role in the Buccaneers’ successful pursuit of a championship in 2020.
In those three consecutive drafts, the Buccaneers used seven picks in the second through fourth rounds to nab defensive backs. Almost all became starters at some point over their first four seasons, and five of them finished out their rookie deals and got second contracts. A sixth, safety Antoine Winfield, will certainly join them when it’s time.
Of course, not all of those players got their second deals in Tampa. The Bucs were able to retain standout cornerbacks Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean on multi-year deals but over the past two years have seen safety Jordan Whitehead (Jets), safety Mike Edwards (Chiefs) and cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting (Titans) find new homes. The Buccaneers have aggressively tried to retain their homegrown talent over the last several seasons, but it’s essentially impossible to keep them all.
As such, the Buccaneers could use a little reloading in the secondary heading into the 2023 draft…and probably just about every draft after that, as defensive back depth is difficult to cultivate and maintain. As we continue our week-long look at potential draft targets for the Buccaneers, we now turn our attention to the back end of the defense. (The schedule for and links to the six different positions being discuss are listed below.) Some of these players will probably end up as first-round picks, but we’ll also look at some later-round options that could fit what the Bucs need.
Monday, April 17: Quarterback
Tuesday, April 18: Offensive Line
Wednesday, April 19: Running Back
Thursday, April 20: Edge Rusher
Friday, April 21: Defensive Backs
Monday, April 24: Tight Ends
(NOTE: The following is the analysis of the author alone. It is not meant to reflect or reveal thoughts or strategies regarding the 2023 draft by Buccaneers General Manager Jason Licht, Head Coach Todd Bowles or any member of the scouting or coaching staffs.)
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