The Bucs are seeing another one of their cornerbacks headed over to the AFC, as 2025 reserve Kindle Vildor has signed with the reigning AFC champion Patriots, the team announced Thursday.

Kindle Vildor’s 2025 Season With The Bucs

The Bucs picked up Vildor in free agency last year after injuries to Jamel Dean and Bryce Hall forced the team to rely on Josh Hayes and Tyrek Funderburk in 2024. Vildor had shown himself to be a capable backup in Detroit with the Lions. Tampa Bay signed him to a one-year deal for $1,337,500.

Despite him being on the smaller side and lacking top-end physical traits, Tampa Bay liked his competitive toughness and his penchant for taking the ball away. It helped him get the most out of his talent.

Bucs CB Kindle Vildor – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Prior to 2025, Bucs head coach and defensive play-caller Todd Bowles said he wanted more ballhawks on defense, especially after the secondary only produced six interceptions in 2024. Vildor only had one interception in the NFL before last year, which came with the Bears, the team that drafted him in the fifth round in 2020. But he had nine interceptions and 24 pass breakups in three seasons at Georgia Southern.

After three years with the Bears, the 5-foot-11, 189-pound Vildor moved on to Tennessee in 2023 but was cut during the season and signed to Philadelphia’s practice squad. After a short stint there, Detroit signed him for the rest of the 2023 season and also again 2024.

The deal to bring him in proved to be a smart move for the Bucs. Vildor played in 12 games, starting one and playing 164 snaps. His best game was Week 6 against the 49ers when he replaced an injured Zyon McCollum and came up with an impressive interception that should have gone for a pick-six if only his feet wouldn’t stop slipping.

Kindle Vildor stumbling his way to a takeaway

SFvsTB on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/kGaf29UE0p

— NFL (@NFL) October 12, 2025

Vildor provided solid, and sometimes inspired play.

Pretty amazing how much of an upgrade Kindle Vildor has been compared to Josh Hayes and Tyrek Funderburk last year.

Played very well in Week 6. Even on 2 catches he gave up, was right there contesting throws and breaking on routes pic.twitter.com/GMFJlOi3O6

— Jon Ledyard (@LedyardNFLDraft) October 14, 2025

Bucs Still Need To Shore Up Depth In Secondary

With Jamel Dean leaving for the Steelers and Vildor headed to the Patriots, the Bucs are suddenly thin in the secondary. They’ll need to add more depth to their cornerback room, which currently features McCollum and 2025 day two draft picks Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish. Morrison and Parrish are set to battle it out for the starting spot on the outside across from McCollum, with the CB4 spot seemingly up for grabs.

Whether the Bucs wait things out and try to find a cheap free agent cornerback, add one in the 2026 Draft or explore both routes remains to be seen. But as much talk as there’s been about the pass rush and the inside linebacker position, cornerback is a sneaky need for Tampa Bay at this juncture.