joebucsfan.com

Inside Linebacker Or Cornerback?

March 21st, 2025

Decisions.

So which is it, inside linebacker or corner? Joe leans one way but can live with the other.

Joe has been pounding the table for the Bucs to draft Jihaad Campbell, the Swiss army knife of Alabama. But now after a shoulder surgery, who knows when he can next play?

The Bucs are trying to position themselves to make a Super Bowl run this year. As a JoeBucsFan.com commenter pointed out yesterday, if Campbell is going to miss four to eight games this season, why draft him? Fair point.

Joe was hoping Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht would somehow pick up a competent starting corner in free agency. Joe isn’t anti-Jamel Dean but Joe prefers a cornerback who can stay on the field, specifically in playoff games.

Well, the way Joe looks at it, if the Bucs draft a corner in the first round, then you want that guy on the field. So that means bye-bye to Dean because a team isn’t going to have Dean’s $12 million salary eaten by a backup.

Again, Joe’s biggest issue with Dean is he can’t answer the bell when needed most. In the Bucs’ last four playoff games, Dean was either unavailable or couldn’t finish three of those games.

In last two postseason games the Bucs lost by one score and Dean wasn’t on the field late in the game. You don’t think the Bucs could have used him?

Yeah, Campbell would be awesome but how much time will he miss? A first-round cornerback would be welcome but can a team that wants to do damage in January and beyond trust a rookie corner? Well, the Eagles just won a Super Bowl with two rookie cornerbacks.

Decisions!