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Joe has some bad Bucs news and some good Bucs news.
First the bad: The Bucs have a hole at cornerback they didn’t need to dig.
Now, the good news: Folicly-challenged Billy Barnwell at BSPN believes the Bucs are one of 20 teams that can compete for a Super Bowl for the 2026 season, provided the Bucs fill this hole.
Don’t ya’ just feel all warm and fuzzy now?
What’s missing: Cornerback. Some cornerstone pieces won’t be back with the Bucs in 2026. Legendary wideout Mike Evans left for the 49ers in one of the highest-profile departures of the offseason. Linebacker Lavonte David saw his contract expire, and he remains available. And cornerback Jamel Dean signed a three-year, $36.8 million contract with the Steelers.
Dean’s absence might actually have the largest impact of those three, given that the Buccaneers are relatively stocked at wide receiver and ably replaced David with some much-needed coverage range from Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone. Dean allowed a 63.1 passer rating in coverage while missing just 2.1% of his tackles. He probably deserved to be in the Pro Bowl.
The Bucs have Zyon McCollum locked in at one starting cornerback role, and Jacob Parrish was solid in his rookie year operating out of the slot. Dean’s departure, though, will elevate 2025 second-round pick Benjamin Morrison to the starting lineup. And while plenty of cornerbacks have rough rookie seasons before maturing in subsequent years, Morrison had a very rough debut campaign. He allowed a 112.2 passer rating in coverage on 359 snaps, including a 72-yard touchdown to Patriots wideout Kyle Williams. Morrison also had two pass interference penalties and a holding call declined. The Panthers repeatedly went after the rookie in their home-and-home with Tampa Bay down the stretch, and I’d expect more of that if Morrison’s in the starting lineup.
Based on just the 2025 season alone, Benjamin Morris is not an starter, that’s all there is to it. Not yet, anyway. Now he did come into OTAs last year as a rookie recovering from surgery so Joe is going to give the Notre Dame grad some rope here.
Would Joe be shocked that, now healthy, Morrison dedicated himself to an offseason program and looks like a new player this summer when training camp starts? No, Joe would not be shocked.
And if that is the case, great. But just based on his play last year he is in no way ready to be an NFL starter. And frankly, based on his play last year, Joe wonders if Zyon McCollum is a starter?
But here we are with a hole on the roster where the Bucs’ best corner was. It didn’t have to be like this.
If Bucs coach Todd Bowles moves Jacob Parrish to full-time outside corner, that’s a smart move. Parrish was damn impressive last year and Joe would argue he was the Bucs’ most consistent rookie.
Parrish sure never vanished in the second half of the season.
If Bowles wants to keep Parrish at nickel corner, then there’s a problem. You are then looking at McCollum and Morrison as your starting corners, with no edge rush. That will be fun!
So unless Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht drafts or trades for a starting corner, this could be a very, very long season for the Bucs’ pass defense.