Jordan Whitehead, S
The Bucs welcomed back an old friend this offseason, bringing safety Jordan Whitehead home to Tampa Bay after a two-year stint with the New York Jets. Back in 2018, Whitehead was a fourth-round pick of the Bucs coming out of the University of Pittsburgh. He enjoyed four seasons as a starter for Tampa Bay before leaving for New York in 2022.
Only improving since the Bucs saw him last, Whitehead is coming off his two most productive seasons as a pro, including 2023 which saw him post career highs in interceptions (4), pass breakups (9), and tackles (97).
Why would Whitehead be considered a nice surprise? Well, all you have to do is come in and perform better than Ryan Neal did last year, and you'll turn the heads of Bucs fans.
Tampa Bay got used to seeing some of the worst safety play they'd seen in years when they watched Neal. To exaggerate a little bit, just about anybody would be an upgrade over how Neal played last season. But, we know Whitehead is a better player, through and through. To say he'd be a nice surprise is simply saying he'll be a breath of fresh air.