PewterReport.com analyzes the top players in the 2020 NFL Draft with its position previews. Jon Ledyard previews the safety position with a comprehensive look at what the Bucs have and what they need at safety, a detailed list of this year’s top safeties, and Scott Reynolds offers up the annual PewterReport.com Bucs’ Best Bets – one early round pick, and a pick from the later rounds.

What The Bucs Have At Safety

Bucs SS Jordan Whitehead – Photo by: Getty Images

The leader of the safeties group last season turned out to be strong safety Jordan Whitehead, who had a solid year in his second NFL season. Whitehead is a hard-hitting safety that makes a lot of plays in the box and at the line of scrimmage. With 69 tackles, Whitehead had the highest number of tackles on the Bucs’ defense by a non-linebacker. Backing up Whitehead this year should be former Wisconsin safety D’Cota Dixon, who Bruce Arians was very high on in training camp before he was placed on injured reserve after needing season-ending shoulder surgery.

At free safety is Andrew Adams, who was recently re-signed, and second-year player Mike Edwards, last year’s third-round pick. Adams was signed a week into the season last year to fill a void at the position and ended up starting in 11 games while Edwards took some lumps as a rookie but improved as the season went on and could become a starter this season.

The Bucs also have a playmaker in Justin Evans, but he missed all of last season with heel and toe injuries and it’s quite possible that he doesn’t play again this year. The Bucs’ safeties are good in the box helping to stop the run, but they’ve struggled in pass coverage particularly on down field assignments.

What The Bucs Need At Safety

The Bucs really need a play-making safety that’s a ballhawk on the field and good in coverage if Evans can’t return. As a unit, Tampa Bay’s safeties managed just two interceptions and one forced fumble, while often getting beat in pass coverage. The defense did make a turnaround in the second half of the season as a whole, but in 2020 the safety position is the weakest link on the defense. It’s possible the Bucs take a safety on Day 2 or early on Day 3.

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Click The Next Page For The Top Safeties