Today’s admission by Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht didn’t surprise Joe, or probably anyone else who has been a regular at training camp.
Licht hopped on SiriusXM NFL Radio and was asked about second-year defensive back Tykee Smith moving from nickel cornerback to safety. The GM said it’s been a smooth transition, called Smith and Antoine Winfield a “dynamic duo” and spoke to how the Bucs will replace Smith.
Then Licht told co-host and former Bucs scout Pat Kirwan that the Bucs have options at nickel because they have 2023 nickel Christian Izien available (the guy Smith replaced) and a rookie third-round that has important people at Bucs headquarters smiling.
“We’ve got Jacob Parrish who’s been phenomenal at that position,” Licht said.
Whoa! Licht just dropped a nice “P” word on Parrish, who looks like the fastest player in the Bucs secondary and the guy with the best hands.
As Joe has written, if Licht nails two of his first three draft picks this year, receiver Emeka Egbuka (Round 2) and cornerbacks Parrish (Round 3) and Benjamin Morrison (Round 2), then this Bucs team should get signficantly better.
So far, Egbuka defnitely look the part of hit-the-ground-running rookies. Morrison is out nursing a hamstring injury.