After stirring the pot by taking Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka in the first round, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers smoothed things out on Day 2 of the NFL Draft.
Even though we all knew the Bucs would be targeting defensive players on Friday, general manager Jason Licht still managed to zag when everyone expected a zig. Rather than go for a linebacker or pick up one of the pass rushers who had fallen, the Bucs doubled up on cornerbacks using both of its selections on the position.
Notre Dame's Benjamin Morrison was picked in the second round, while Kansas State slot demon Jacob Parrish was Tampa Bay's third round pick.
It's a fantastic haul for a team that has needed an upgrade in the secondary. In back-to-back years the Bucs were scraping the bottom of the roster barrell to find healthy bodies, which was unsurprisingly a losing strategy.
Now with Morrison and Parrish on the roster, the Bucs not only added some depth but got younger at corner as well. That's bad news for three specific players who have now been pushed to the edge of the roster bubble.
3 Buccaneers players are now in danger of losing their jobs after Day 2 draft haul
Things can change between now and the start of the season, but it looks like the Bucs have eight defensive backs locked into roster spots.
CB | S | NB |
|---|---|---|
Zyon McCollum | Antoine Winfield Jr. | Christian Izien |
Jamel Dean | Tykee Smith | Jacob Parrish |
Benjamin Morrison | ||
Bryce Hall |
Kindle Vildor, Josh Hayes, and Kaevon Merriweather are suddenly in a position where they'll be fighting for a roster spot in training camp. Hayes was a late-round pick last year while Merriweather was among Tampa's successful UDFA class from 2023. Vildor is the least senior of the group despite being the oldest, having signed a free agent deal with the Bucs last month.
There are other players in danger now as well, like Tyrek Funderburk, Marcus Banks, and Rashad Wisdom, but those top guys are the ones with the most heat right now. Hayes and Merriweather both saw action last season and Vildor played in all 17 games for the Detroit Lions.
It's worth noting that the Bucs carried 11 defensive backs into Week 1 last year, which means Vildor, Hayes, and Merriweather could make the roster. It's likely, however, that when it comes down to it they'll all be fighting for the same spot.
That's not a bad thing for Tampa Bay, as it creates real competition that should make the defense better. The only question is which player will end up actually making the roster and help make a difference?
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