The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have significantly improved their roster this offseason thanks to strong hauls in free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft.Â
They addressed their most pressing needs by revamping their pass rush and inside linebacker rooms.
But the Bucs still have one key question mark to address before the roster is ready to contend in 2026 — and that’s the cornerback position.
Tampa Bay has a young, largely unproven cornerback room, and they could really benefit from adding a veteran who can provide depth while mentoring the team’s younger defensive backs.
One of the top available free agents who would’ve been a perfect fit for the Buccaneers is suddenly off the market, and options are dwindling.Â
Commanders sign potential Buccaneers target CB Rasul Douglas
I just wrote about Rasul Douglas yesterday, calling him a perfect fit for the Buccaneers due to their lack of a savvy veteran cornerback. Just hours later, he signed with the Washington Commanders.
Sources: Free-agent CB Rasul Douglas is planning to sign a one-year deal with the Washington Commanders worth up to $3.8 million. Douglas spent last season with the Dolphins, where he started 13 games. A former Eagles third-round pick in 2017, Douglas now returns to the NFC East. pic.twitter.com/GXGnXqoVyI
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 6, 2026
Douglas brings nine seasons of NFL experience. He played in 15 games for the Miami Dolphins last season, including 13 starts.Â
He tallied two interceptions and 13 passes defensed, tying for the second-highest total of his career.Â
Douglas is known for his high character and positive locker room influence, which would’ve made him a natural fit in Tampa Bay.
At this stage of his career, Douglas’ days of being counted on as a full-time starter are behind him, but that’s not the role the Bucs needed him to fill.
The team’s only confirmed starting boundary cornerback is Zyon McCollum, with second-year players Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish competing for the role opposite him this offseason.
There is a serious lack of proven depth behind the starting group, with Josh Hayes and Demarion Williams currently projected as the top backups. Douglas would’ve immediately jumped them both on the depth chart, giving the Buccaneers a reliable veteran option off the bench.Â
Watching Douglas join the Commanders feels like a real missed opportunity for the Buccaneers. If their young cornerbacks underperform, or if injuries strike and expose the lack of depth, Tampa Bay could grow to regret passing on a veteran who fit exactly what the defense needed.
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