While the Tampa Bay Buccaneers spent most of this offseason getting the band back together, not everyone ended up returning.
Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans, Antoine Winfield Jr., and Tristan Wirfs highlighted the list of players the Bucs gave rich new deals to, but Carlton Davis III found himself on another team. Unlike Devin White, who was jettisoned in free agency, Davis was traded to the Detroit Lions on the first day of the new league year.
Davis had been plagued by injuries over the last few seasons, and while he was an important part of a Super Bowl defense in 2020, he had been played off the roster in the eyes of coaches. Trading him to Detroit not only afforded him a fresh start to become the player he once was, but it also netted the Bucs a draft pick, which the team used on wide receiver Jalen McMillan.
Something else the trade did was open the door for someone to step up and fill Davis' shoes, which is what seems to be happening at training camp.
NFL insider praises Zyon McCollum as Carlton Davis III's replacement
MMQB's Albert Breer was at Buccaneers camp this week for the team's joint practice with the Dolphins and singled out Zyon McCollum as someone he thinks could be a star this year. McCollum has already impressed the Bucs enough to give them the confidence to trade Carlton Davis III, and Breer thinks the move may end up being worth it based on what he's seen so far.
"[Zyon McCollum] was one of the stars of the joint practice I was at with the Dolphins—picking off Tua Tagovailoa almost right away in team drills. Bottom line: If the Bucs are good at corner, McCollum will be a big part of that equation—one that still needs some depth sprinkled in," Breer wrote.
McCollum started winning folks over last season, following up a solid preseason by winning the nickle corner role. He's now graduated to Tampa Bay's No. 2 cornerback behind Jamel Dean and could very well end the season as a difference maker on defense.
Cornerback might replace safety as a position of weakness, though. Last year it was Antoine Winfield Jr carrying the load at safety with Christian Izien stepping up where he could. Beyond that the depth was pitiful and the Bucs are facing a similar situation this year at cornerback.
McCollum has a huge opportunity to step up and fill that gap. He's already earned his way into a key role on defense and it seems he's not wasting any time making the most of it.
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