The Bucs are young at the cornerback position, including their cornerbacks coach Rashad Johnson. Going into his fifth year on the Bucs’ coaching staff, this one will be his biggest and most important job yet as he was promoted to cornerbacks coach for this season. He was previously the assistant secondary coach, who coached the nickel position. He’ll continue to do that job while also expanding his role to the outside corners.

This gives Johnson a unique perspective getting to see several players in the Bucs’ secondary. It also gives him the opportunity to continue to develop second year players Jacob Parrish and Benjamin Morrison, while also looking to get the best out of  the 27 year old Zyon McCollum, who came into the league with Johnson, too.

Johnson Calls Parrish Elite

Out of the three Bucs players mentioned, only one of them have played the nickel and outside corner, with that being Parrish. This allows for Tampa Bay to come up with a couple of ideas for what to do in the secondary based on Parrish’s skillset. Seeing him for all of one season, Johnson thinks so highly of Parrish’s game and ability to play different spots, that he’s calling Parrish “elite” for his traits.

Bucs CB Jacob Parrish – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

There’s hyping up players and then there’s putting him in an upper echelon. There’s no question that Parrish is coming off of the best season out of him, Morrison and McCollum, so the expectations just got even higher this season.

“It’s an interesting challenge but Jacob’s skillset is elite,” Johnson said of Parrish being able to handle the nickel and play outside. “He’s a guy that can play inside, he’s a guy that can play outside. Number one would be his mental capacity. This defense isn’t like ‘Hey, open up a book and it’s A, B, C, D.’ It’s got some complexities to it and this guy, he can manage those complexities. He can play inside, he can play outside, he’s very versatile, he’s very talkative in the room and out on the field. He just loves the game.

“I think it is a challenge for certain guys, but for Jacob, I don’t think that’s a challenge, I think that, honestly, it’s going to unleash his skillset even more. As you watch him play inside, he played well as a nickel, but you look at the Carolina game, the big pick (in) the home game playing outside in that position. He just understands scenarios, he understands how offenses are trying to attack you. As long as the mental capacity isn’t too much for him, then it’s something you allow him to fly and do. I’m just thankful that we got a guy that’s super versatile like that.

Bucs NCB Jacob Parrish – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Rashad Johnson Gives Honest Assessment Of Tampa Bay’s Secondary Woes

Johnson was asked about some of the miscues that the Bucs had in the secondary last season. Most notably, the mishap on third and 28 and fourth and 14 against the Falcons that led to a meltdown in a Thursday night football loss.

He didn’t back away from how bad it was, but also discussed how he’s here to be part of solution and get the best out of the players to reach where they want to be.

Bucs HC Todd Bowles and CBs coach Rashad Johnson – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“It’s simple and plain, we just got to be better in those situations,” Johnson said. “Third and 28, fourth down, explosive plays on the defensive back end. Those things can’t happen. Those things lose games. The standard here is to make it to the playoffs and then once we get in the playoffs, obviously to win a Super Bowl, so we’re still pushing towards those goals, didn’t reach those goals at all last year.

“No, we’re not going to sugarcoat that. We weren’t good enough on the back end. My job is to help the guys get better to make sure that we can correct those mistakes.”