Buccaneers: 3 lockdown corners the Bucs can afford this offseason

Number 3 option for the Buccaneers

Mackensie Alexander was a highly touted cornerback coming out of Clemson University. He was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft and it didn’t take long before the Vikings signed him to a four-year, $4.31 million dollar deal.

Alexander played very well for the Vikings and was an integral part of that stingy defense a few years ago. For one reason or another, the Vikings and Alexander parted ways, and he signed a one-year deal with Cincinnati Bengals worth $4 million.

He only has three career interceptions, but Alexander does an excellent job at rushing the quarterback, which fits in very well in the defensive scheme that Todd Bowles likes to run. In his career, Alexander has 8 quarterback hits and 4.5 sacks. He also has 10 tackles for loss, which means that he can play very physical at the line of scrimmage.

Alexander had a pretty productive 2020, having six pass deflections, one tackle for loss, one interception, and 32 solo tackles. Even with him having a decent year, the Buccaneers could probably sign Alexander for less than $4.31. Being a Super Bowl contender really helps in contract negotiations.

The Buccaneers could realistically sign Alexander on a one-year $4.25 million dollar deal, or if they feel confident with his production, a two-year $8 million dollar deal. These numbers wouldn’t hurt the cap space much, and it would still leave room for the front office to re-sign some key players.