ClutchPoints
Ahead of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ preseason opener Saturday, the team has been engaged in joint practices with the Tennessee Titans. The two teams will square off at Raymond James Stadium, where most of the starters will likely play a series or two before backups will take over.
Following the Titans game, the Buccaneers will travel to Pittsburgh to play the Steelers, then host the Buffalo Bills to wrap up their preseason slate. Two weeks later, the regular season will begin with a divisional matchup on the road versus the Atlanta Falcons. As the Bucs gear up for the opener, getting their starters ready will be the focus of the latter preseason games.
Most of the team is entrenched, as there were very few starters that needed to be replaced. GM Jason Licht’s draft class from this past April was focused on building up the team’s depth and finding more long-term contributors. He doubled up at edge rusher, wide receiver and cornerback. While Zyon McCollum is entrenched at one of the starting roles, veteran Jamel Dean’s hold on the other is a bit tenuous. Will the 29-year-old lose his role before the season begins?
Dean currently has two seasons left on his contract. After the 2026 season, he’s slated to be a free agent. By then, he’ll be 31. Will he search for a deal like he received from Tampa Bay when he first his free agency before the 2024 season? If he stays healthy and his play remains strong, it is certainly possible. However, based on the moves that Licht and the Tampa Bay front office made in this past April’s NFL Draft, it does feel unlikely.
The Buccaneers drafted cornerbacks Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish in the second and third rounds in April. Morrison was seen as a potential first round prospect before injuries derailed those chances. Nevertheless, he’s a talented cover man whom the team hopes could be Dean’s long-term replacement. Parrish is currently slated to play nickelback for Bucs defense, so that’s one spot locked in. Can Morrison stay healthy and keep Dean on the sidelines by the time Tampa Bay gets to Atlanta on September 7th? Despite how well Dean has played in the past, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the younger cornerback surpass him sooner rather than later.
After selecting Emeka Egbuka in the first round, as well as Tez Johnson in the seventh, it’s fair to say that Licht and the Buccaneers wanted to make an already strong wide receiver room even deeper. Injuries ripped through the position last year, as starters Mike Evans and Chris Godwin missed a considerable amount of time due to injury. In fact, Godwin is coming off a season-ending injury, but he’s already back for the team.
One veteran that failed to step up in their absence is Trey Palmer. The former sixth round pick really...
