"Everybody's position is up for grabs": Todd Bowles makes feelings clear about Buccaneers' cornerbacks

No one in the pass coverage department should feel safe for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers heading into next season. During last week's league meetings, coach Todd Bowles said it was "crystal clear" that the team needs more depth in the cornerback department.

Tampa's cornerback team last season consisted of Zyon McCollum, Jamel Dean and Tykee Smith. However, they may not all be with the Bucs next season.

"Like I said, everybody's position is up for grabs," Bowles said via a transcript from the team. "I think Zyon is probably 1A, 1B because Zyon stayed healthier during the year."

Last season, the Bucs were in the league's bottom half defensively, ranked 18th in terms of yards allowed per game (341.8).

"Dean has to get healthy," the coach added. "He comes in, and he plays – he can't play half a year, every couple of years. He understands he has to stay healthy, and he's doing everything he can to be healthy, but we have to have some depth there, just in case. If somebody comes in and competes with him, he's going to have to compete."

Tampa allowed 243.9 passing yards per game in the 2024 regular season, with only the Detroit Lions (244.0), Baltimore Ravens (244.1) and Jacksonville Jaguars (257.4) allowing more.

The Bucs, renowned for their stellar defensive unit in the late 1990s and early 2000s when Tony Dungy was their head coach, have struggled in that department under Bowles, particularly in pass coverage. No Tampa cornerback has made the Pro Bowl since Darrelle Revis in 2013.

Bucs' options at cornerback

Todd Bowles and the Buccaneers can handle their lack of depth at the cornerback position in a few ways. One is to stay with what they have and hope to improve in other areas, or hope Jamel Dean, among others, can stay healthy.

After all, two of the three teams that were worse than Tampa regarding passing yards allowed per game in 2024, the Detroit Lions and Baltimore Ravens, made the playoffs last season.

The other option would be the upcoming NFL Draft, and some promising cornerbacks, including potentially Jahdae Barron, Will Johnson, and Maxwell Hairston, should be available when the Bucs are on the clock at #19.

Meanwhile, there's free agency and Jack Jones, who the Las Vegas Raiders released. He would be a cheap option at just over $1 million per Over The Cap. At the same time, he gave up eight touchdowns last season and a passer rating of 98.5, according to Pro Football Reference.

There are plenty of ways Bucs can address this situation, though each carries a high degree of risk.