Heading into this season, the Bucs have three established names in the secondary – safety Antoine Winfield Jr. and cornerbacks Carlton Davis III and Jamel Dean, who was re-signed this offseason. But besides those three, who in the secondary can be counted on?

The team has brought in plenty of young players, but how will they be able to contribute and replace the production of numerous veteran losses? Across the roster in Tampa Bay, the team has gotten younger and faster, but it is up to some players to realize their potential and surprise.

Bucs Need To Replace Key Veteran DB Losses

Bucs Ss Logan Ryan, Antoine Winfield, Jr. and Mike Edwards – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

With the cap situation leaving them in a difficult spot, it was always going to be impossible to bring back everyone.

The Bucs did well to re-sign Dean to a market-friendly contract, but it meant saying goodbye to many defensive backfield members, including two from the Super Bowl LV-winning squad.

Cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting (Titans) and safeties Mike Edwards (Chiefs), and Keanu Neal (Steelers) have all moved on to new teams. Logan Ryan is still a free agent and could return, but his full-time starter days are behind him. Should Ryan not re-sign, between the four of them, that means replacing 31 starts, 213 combined tackles, and six of the team’s 10 interceptions last season, which was far few too for the team’s liking.

That is a lot of production on paper, and it is unclear where it will come from yet.

Where Does The Bucs’ Depth Chart Stand At Cornerback?

So where does that leave the secondary? Let’s take a look at the current depth chart at cornerback first, with the presumed starters in bold and presumed backups unbolded.

Cornerback:

1. Carlton Davis III

2. Jamel Dean

3. Zyon McCollum

4. Dee Delaney

Bucs CB Jamel Dean – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

At cornerback, the Bucs have one of the best duos in Davis and Dean. Both are 26, and each will be a starting outside cornerback for the next couple of seasons. Although both are solid starters and worth their respective paydays, neither played all 17 games last year.

Davis appeared in 13 games and has not played a full season since being drafted in 2018. Ditto for Dean, someone who only became a full-time starter in 2022.

While those two have their own question marks regarding durability, it gets murkier beyond them from an experience-level standpoint.

Tampa Bay thought highly of Zyon McCollum, trading what would have been a fourth-rounder this year to select him in the fifth round last year. While some late-round cornerbacks in his class blossomed (Tariq Woolen, DaRon Bland), McCollum spent a lot of time as a backup and had growing pains regarding his tackling and coverage.

However, his athleticism makes it easy to get excited about his potential. Should he take the next step, he is a lanky cornerback who will back up Davis and Dean, who have had problem staying healthy, or perhaps see some time at nickelback. As Antoine Winfield Jr. settles back into his customary free safety role, that is a position for grabs.

Where Does The Bucs’ Depth Chart Stand At Nickel Cornerback?

Let’s take a look at the current depth chart at nickelback next, with the presumed starters in bold and presumed backups unbolded.

Nickelback:

1. Dee Delaney

2. Josh Hayes

3. Chris Izien

Besides the young guys, the only other returning veteran in the room is the versatile Dee Delaney. Delaney can play cornerback and safety, but he may see most of his playing time as an extra cornerback on passing downs. He was decent last year coming in when injuries arose and has experience playing under head coach Todd Bowles. That has value, but being a depth guy is his likely ceiling. Delaney is currently the starting nickelback, but that will likely change in training camp as the team’s rookies get up to speed in Todd Bowles’ defense.

Another contender for that job is Josh Hayes, the Bucs’ sixth-round selection back in late April. Pewter Report’s Josh Queipo recently profiled him and what he brings to the table, but it is unfair to expect him to hit the ground running.

He has experience playing as a slot corner, but like McCollum, he must work on his tackling. As Queipo noted in that article, Hayes was credited with 21 missed tackles and an incredibly high 21.9% missed tackle rate at Kansas State in 2022.

Coming from Rutgers, Chris Izien had encouraging and consistent production. His combined tackles ranged between 65 and 85 in his four seasons there, and in just nine games in 2020, he had four interceptions. Having 4.43 speed aids his cause, as does his aggressive play style. Safeties coach Nick Rapone commented earlier this offseason that he plays “with his hair on fire.”

Where Does The Bucs’ Depth Chart Stand At Safety?

Let’s finish up with a look at the current depth chart at safety, with the presumed starters in bold and presumed backups unbolded.

Free Safety:

1. Antoine Winfield Jr

2. Nolan Turner

3. Chris Izien

4. Josh Hayes

Strong Safety:

1. Ryan Neal

2. Kaevon Merriweather

3. Josh Hayes

Each safety position has a high-level starter, but the depth behind them has a total of one career NFL tackle. Winfield and Neal, like Davis and Dean, could prove to be a potent duo, especially if Neal has a breakout season.

Bucs DB Antoine Winfield, Jr. – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Winfield is one of the more underrated players in the league, especially on the defensive side of the ball. He makes plays all over the field and, as mentioned, he will be doing so back at free safety. From coverage to run support and even getting after the quarterback (four sacks in 2022), he is a jack-of-all-trades player.

Down the stretch last season, Neal graded out as one of the league’s best safeties. The Bucs did well to acquire him on a low-cost deal, and he has the chance to be one of the biggest bargains from free agency.

Behind them, questions arise. Nolan Turner returns as someone the team likes and has chosen to keep around. But he is unproven and spent much of last season being elevated up and down from the practice squad.

Like Izien, Kaevon Merriweather comes into Tampa Bay as an undrafted player looking to make the team. With the safety room depth barren before their arrival, each will have the chance to.

Merriweather had some buzz as being a Day 3 pick but ultimately went undrafted. He found a great opportunity with the Bucs, and if he keeps improving as he did at Iowa, he has a strong chance to make the roster. He may not ‘wow’ anyone with his speed or athleticism, but he can carve out a role as a physical player and a high-character guy and someone who can fill in. Bowles commented after OTAs this week about what he sees in them and their potential fit on the roster.

Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“On film, what we liked about them [is] they’re both very physical players,” Bowles said. “They’re both very good open-field tacklers – we like that about them. The mental part, they’re getting down. Obviously, both guys are learning two different positions.

“Izien is learning strong [safety] and nickel and Merriweather is learning both safety spots – it’s a little bit much. I like their study habits, I like the way they communicate on the field. I think they’re getting it.”

After losing several members in the defensive backfield, the secondary, like the rest of the roster, is being overlooked from the outside. Plenty of talent remains, but the depth will be tested this season.

If the secondary can replace the lost production and have a solid year, it will greatly aid the Bucs’ ability to stay in games and pick up some wins. With that in mind, they will look to go out and prove their doubters wrong.

“I love it, I love being an underdog,” Winfield said this week after practice. “It’s always great that way, it’s better.”