Could Morris Claiborne still land with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers still have a little wiggle room in the salary cap, and one person suggests they could look to sign cornerback Morris Claiborne.

A connection that just can’t seem to die, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have once again been linked to former top-ten pick and free agent cornerback Morris Claiborne. Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski predicted where the top remaining free agents would land, and predicted Claiborne to land in Tampa Bay with the Buccaneers.

The Draft Network’s JC Cornell reported earlier this offseason that the Buccaneers had made an offer to Claiborne, presumably lingering around the veteran minimum, and the veteran cornerback declined the deal. Still sitting on the market, would both sides be open to revisiting negotiations?

Is there even room in Tampa Bay for another cornerback at this point, and do the Buccaneers need a veteran presence in the room? The Buccaneers drafted two more cornerbacks after Claiborne turned their deal down in Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean, but Sobleski says not to rule the move out:

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"“The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have used five early-round (first through third) picks on cornerbacks since 2016. Vernon Hargreaves III, M.J. Stewart, Carlton Davis and rookies Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean form the core of Tampa Bay’s secondary. The Bucs can hedge their bets with a quality veteran like Claiborne, who played for defensive coordinator Todd Bowles in New York” (Sobleski via Bleacher Report)."

While Claiborne has not lived up to the hype of the sixth-overall pick that he was back in 2012, he has put together a strong three consecutive seasons. His last year with the Dallas Cowboys and the past two seasons as a member of the New York Giants, a total of four interceptions, one touchdown, 27 passes defended, and 102 solo tackles.

In a very real scenario, the new Buccaneers’ coaching staff could cut the cord on former first round pick Vernon Hargreaves at any point that they feel fed up with him. If Murphy-Bunting and Dean need a bit more time to develop, having a veteran to plug-and-play could be a helpful addition to Todd Bowles’ defense; getting a guy who has played under Bowles before makes sense.

While the move to sign Claiborne looks more unlikely after the draft, injuries, cuts, and slow developments could cause the Buccaneers to be in need of a roster move. He has been rumored before, and now here again; could Claiborne wear the pewter and red in 2019?