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Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 4 heated camp battles to watch closely

By Cory Kinnan

GLENDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 15: Cornerback Vernon Hargreaves #28 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on October 15, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. The Cardinals defeated the Buccaneers 38-33. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 15: Cornerback Vernon Hargreaves #28 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on October 15, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. The Cardinals defeated the Buccaneers 38-33. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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EAST LANSING, MI – SEPTEMBER 29: Sean Bunting #3 of the Central Michigan Chippewas celebrates a interception with Alex Briones #17 while playing the Michigan State Spartans during the first half at Spartan Stadium on September 29, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI – SEPTEMBER 29: Sean Bunting #3 of the Central Michigan Chippewas celebrates a interception with Alex Briones #17 while playing the Michigan State Spartans during the first half at Spartan Stadium on September 29, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

Cornerback: Hargreaves vs. Davis vs. Murphy-Bunting vs. Dean

The secondary in Tampa Bay was atrocious last year, and that is putting it mildly. Since the end of the season, the Buccaneers have let Brent Grimes and Chris Conte walk out the door and have drafted three players in the secondary on day-two of the draft, including two cornerbacks; both of those guys, Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean will have a chance to compete for a starting role in camp.

2016 first rounder Vernon Hargreaves enters the most crucial point in his career, and second-year corner Carlton Davis looks to prove himself to the new coaching staff as well. During mini-camp Hargreaves and Davis got the starting reps, but the Buccaneers did not use early picks on Murphy-Bunting and Dean for them to sit on the bench.

Murphy-Bunting is almost a lock to see the field significantly either outside or in the slot, but could rise up the depth chart and beat out either Hargreaves or Davis this summer. Due to his size, Dean is almost exclusively an outside-the-numbers guy, but if Hargreaves does not earn the trust of the coaching staff, he is no lock to even make the roster.

While Bowles runs defensive schemes where six defensive backs are on the field at a time, only three of these players will see significant playing time as teams line up in the nickel as often as their base package in today’s NFL. Who will be the odd man out of these four when the regular season rolls around?

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