5 Buccaneers we can safely call busts after the 2023 season

3. Ryan Neal, S

If you've been following our content for a while, you know we are like most Bucs fans in that we do not want to see Ryan Neal back in Tampa Bay. The way he began last season, Neal put up one of the worst half-season stretches I have ever seen from a starting NFL safety.

In coverage, Neal was burned over and over again, and on a weekly basis. It was a never-ending movie, and not the kind you want to go watch repeatedly. He was the sole definition of "liability" in coverage. If a pass play depended on Neal as the last layer of defense, there was a good chance that play was going for a big gain.

Over the first nine weeks of the season, Neal gave up four touchdowns. There were games he allowed an average of 14.8, 17.8, 18.0 and even a whopping 45.0 yards per reception. In a word, he was simply bad.

Even outside of coverage, Neal's run defense was suspect at times. The Bucs need to bring back Antoine Winfield, yes, but they also need to find a new running mate. Neal cannot be brought back.