With free agency right around the corner and draft season fully underway, the Bucs have a lot of intriguing decisions and options for how to construct their team. Most of these changes on the roster that we’ll see are coming from the defensive side. It’s very likely that we could see new players in starting roles or key backup spots at almost every position.

During his press conference up at the podium at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, head coach Todd Bowles told everyone what groups he’s specifically looking at this year.

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

“For me I’ll be very interested in looking at a lot of guys on defense, obviously,” Bowles said. “The edge rushers, the corners, and the inside linebackers for me. But I’m really interested in the wide receivers, as well.”

Todd Bowles mentioned three of five defensive positions and just wide receiver on offense. Since Tampa Bay has Vita Vea, Calijah Kancey and Logan Hall at defensive tackle, it makes since why that position wasn’t brought up, but what about safety? Why wasn’t that position mentioned?

That’s because there’s a chance the Bucs already have their next starting safety on the roster.

Everybody knows Antoine Winfield Jr. is one of the best in the game when he’s healthy, but who’s starting next to him is still up in the air. Strong safety Jordan Whitehead was having a down year and a car accident he had late in the season fractured his vertebrae and his availability for next season is in question if the Bucs hold onto him.

Todd Bowles Considering Moving Tykee Smith To Safety

Bucs NCB Tykee Smith – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

So, the piece inserted into this puzzle would be last year’s rookie slot corner but natural safety Tykee Smith. Last season, Smith played in the slot and tied the team lead with three forced fumbles and two interceptions in 13 games.

When asked if the Bucs are considering putting Smith back at safety, Todd Bowles very much opened the door to this possibility. And it’s something that Smith wants as well.

“Yeah, that’s definitely something we’ve talked about,” Bowles said. “Going into the spring that’s something we’re going to look at as well. Tykee wants to play safety, so we’re definitely going to be looking to be looking at it. It’s an option for us.”

Moving Smith to safety next to Winfield would open up the chance for the Bucs to put Christian Izien back at nickel, where he started for the duration of the 2023 season. This also gives Tampa Bay more flexibility to draft a corner who could compete with Izien in the slot while also developing as a future starting corner. Essentially, they’d kill two birds with one stone.

The Advantage Of Moving Smith On Defense

Bucs FS Antoine Winfield Jr. and NCB Tykee Smith – Photo by: USA Today

But most importantly, this would be a move that gets Smith on the field for more of the game. Starters at safety for the Bucs usually play 100% of the snaps. Nickels play often, but somewhere to 20 to 30% less depending on the game.

“He’s very comfortable for us at nickel,” Todd Bowles said of Smith. “He was our best nickel. Safety, obviously stays on the field 100% of the time where the nickel is probably 75% of the time. He wants to be on the field 100% of the time. That doesn’t mean he’s not going to play from the nickel, but he can play more from the base defense. So we’re going to look at that.”

Keeping Smith healthy is also important for the upcoming season as it is with every player on the team. Bucs fans were robbed of seeing Smith and Winfield play together often due to injuries to each player. Considering the potential of Smith and the high ranking Winfield has in this league, the Bucs could have an upgrade and a quick fix to part of their secondary if they decide to move Smith to a position he already wants to be playing anyway.