Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Jordan Whitehead explains what he improved the most while with the Jets

It was a happy homecoming for former Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Jordan Whitehead, who returned to the Bucs on a two-year deal he reached with the team back in March.  

Whitehead, who was drafted by the Bucs in the fourth round of the 2018 draft, started 55 games for the Bucs from 2018-2021 and was a key part of the 2020 Super Bowl championship squad.  He would end up leaving for the New York Jets in the 2022 offseason, where he spent the last two season.  

Whitehead met with the media at One Buc Place on Tuesday and explained that he was able to work on his coverage skills, particularly in the middle of the field, while with the Jets. 

I think I got better just playing the ball, playing deep in the middle of the field" Whitehead said.  "I got to really sit down and got to work with my safeties coach on that.  He played in the NFL a couple of years ago, Marquand Manuel.  He was a good teacher as just, you know, little different things.  Every coach is different.  [Nick Rapone] is one of the greatest teachers, and he teaches technique and little bit of different things. 

"So up there I worked on, my goal was to get the ball and just get better at playing in the middle of the field because I was in a box here, and that was my game.  So now implementing what I learned over there.  I know how to play Cover 3, Cover 1 from [before] instead of always being at the line of scrimmage, and when I'm in the middle of the field, I'm better at reading the quarterback and that's become more of my favorite part of the game.  Playing in the middle." 

Whitehead indeed was an in the box safety during his first tour of duty with the Bucs.  An aggressive, physical hitter and willing tackler, he's excelled at diagnosing runs and help limit gains off the edges of the line of scrimmage.  That's not to say he couldn't cover, but it's pretty clear he was more of a run-stopping safety.  

Now, Whitehead lining up once again next to his old teammate in Antoine Winfield, Jr., who just signed a contract extension to make himself the highest paid defensive back in history.  Winfield just had perhaps the best statistical season of any safety in NFL history, so it's understandable that teams could be wary of throwing his way as much in 2024. 

If Whitehead has indeed improved his awareness and coverage abilities in the deep middle of the field, that's just one more weapon the Buccaneers' defense can count on in what they hope will be a special 2024 season.