Buccaneers HC Weighs In on Starting Cornerback After Preseason Performance

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers focused on bolstering their secondary this offseason, addressing last year’s inconsistencies and injury issues. Despite having talented players, the defense struggled with pass coverage, ranking 29th in passing yards allowed.

The Buccaneers drafted two cornerbacks, Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish, to bolster their secondary depth and spark competition for starting roles. Veteran corner Jamel Dean is one of the players feeling the heat, with speculation surrounding his future with the team due to injury concerns and inconsistent performance.

Dean’s performance with the Buccaneers has been a mixed bag. While he hasn’t been terrible, there’s been a growing expectation for him to elevate his game, which hasn’t quite materialized. This has led to increased criticism, particularly regarding his ability to create turnovers and stay healthy.

“I think he had a very good preseason and a very good [training] camp. Obviously, the touchdown he gave up was because his eyes wandered somewhere else, and then we busted a play before that,” Bowles stated. “He’s been playing well, he’s been very aggressive, he’s worked on little things we talked about, and we’re pleased with where he’s at.”

Dean showed promise in limited action, despite giving up a big play. His main challenges lie in two key areas, creating turnovers, and avoiding injuries. Despite these concerns, Dean remains a talented player, and Bowles has expressed confidence in him. The Buccaneers’ coaching staff will likely work with Dean to address these issues and find ways to maximize his skills on the field.

Dean’s future with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers seems secure for now, despite speculation about his potential release following the drafting of Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish. Dean’s experience and leadership are valued by the team, and he’s expected to remain a key figure in the secondary.

The BR Rub 

Veteran corners are hard to come by. Dean, while having solid analytics is still viewed by some as a liability. At times the eye-test doesn’t always line-up with the analytics.

Then there’s the injury concerns. Dean has yet to go a season without missing time due to injury. Sometimes you best ability is availability right?

Then There’s the lack of turnovers. Dean has eight career interceptions and two fumble recoveries in his six year career. Not great, but not horrible. Over his career, Dean has allowed a completion percentage of 58%. Again, not great, but not bad.

The “Rub” here is the Buccaneers are obviously stocking up on defensive backs in recent drafts. If Jacob Parrish and Benjamin Morrison pan-out the way the team thinks they will, Dean and his $15 million dollar salary become a liability.

But, i wouldn’t simply cut Dean if the decision to part ways comes. I’d trade him similar to how the team traded Carlton Davis. Get some value for him. There’s always a borderline contender that needs help defensively. One team that comes to mind is the Cincinnati Bengals. I believe they have something or someone they’d consider trading for a starting Defensive Back.