Now that the NFL Draft is behind us, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are trying to figure out what a perfect roster to compete for a Super Bowl might look like. There are still moves to be made, but if any of them end up being external additions then things could get complicated.
ESPN's Matt Bowen listed off some best fits for remaining free agents and linked Justin Simmons to the Buccaneers. It's not a bad idea and one that seems to pay off nicely on paper; however it could end up being costly in more than one way.
Here's what Bowen wrote about the potential addition:
"Cincinnati and Carolina would also work here, but Simmons fits really well as an interchangeable safety opposite Antoine Winfield Jr. in Todd Bowles' defense. The Bucs played the most zone coverage in the league last season (71.7% of the time), and Simmons can spin to the post or walk down in Cover 3. He's an excellent communicator with field awareness. Simmons has picked off 32 passes over his nine-year career, including two last season."
That's all solid reasoning but it misses some critical context. For starters, Tykee Smith has been eyed as someone the Bucs would like to move over to safety to add some depth which would free up a spot for rookie Josh Parrish to take over the nickel role.
Buccaneers signing Justin Simmons could push Shilo Sanders off the roster
Parrish isn't the rookie who is in danger of getting edged out if Simmons is signed, though. That's Shilo Sanders, who is already fighting an uphill battle that would be nearly impossible to conquer if Simmons takes over as Antoine Winfield Jr.'s runningmate in the secondary.
Sanders is already doing all of the right things to try and secure a roster spot, from impressing on the field to showing serious humility in the locker room. He's winning over fans left and right after coming to Tampa Bay with a bit of a reputation given his family name, but he's carving out a real chance to make the team.
That all goes away if Simmons is signed, as there would simply be too many bodies in the room. The Bucs carried 11 defensive backs on its 53-man roster last year after final offseason cuts, and heading into training camp we're already approaching that number in terms of spoken for spots.
If the Bucs add Simmons, Shilo is going to get bumped off the roster and Parrish will likely see his playing time drastically reduced. Signing a two-time Pro Bowler makes sense on paper, but it's a move that complicates far too many things and might take away the chance for Sanders to truly develop into the fan-favorite he's looking like already.
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