Hargreaves is off to a hot start to camp
Now training camp is here, and Hargreaves has been hungry to prove that he belongs. While his first day did not go as smoothly as he would have liked, which included kicking a ball into the stands after giving up a big play, he has recorded an interception in each of the last three practices. Yesterday’s interception included an acrobatic play on the ball that ended the offensive momentum.
#Bucs CB Vernon Hargreaves III with the big time hops to intercept this pass intended for O.J. Howard
— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) July 30, 2019
VH3 now has a turnover in three consecutive days. He looks much better/more confident than he did last season pic.twitter.com/56KzYARNto
Hargreaves is not ready to surrender a roster spot without a fight, and the same will go for his starting spot. As Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean were brought in through the draft to compete with him, Hargreaves, also the most experienced player in the cornerback room, has shown the young guys that it is his job until further notice.
Right before day two of the draft, Arians told the media that he is hoping to get bigger outside the numbers at cornerback in order to compete and bully the likes of Julio Jones and Mike Thomas. While Dean, Murphy-Bunting, and Carlton Davis fit that bill much better than Hargreaves, the Florida product has the versatility to stay on the field.
While Hargreaves is not the ideal prototype of the cornerbacks that Bowles and Arians are looking for and have brought in, his status as the most experienced cornerback could serve the younger guys well. Should Hargreaves develop into a leader, he could become a valuable locker room presence in Tampa Bay and for the rookies and second year players behind him.