The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in desperate need of a boost in the secondary — particularly at cornerback.
The talent-rich Philadelphia Eagles might be able to provide that boost through a trade.
Philly Voice’s Jimmy Kempski proposed a trade in which the Buccaneers can send a 2027 7th-round pick to the Eagles in return for Super Bowl champion cornerback Kelee Ringo, who could provide invaluable depth if not become an out-and-out starter in Tampa Bay.
“The Bucs’ depth at outside corner is pretty gross, and they play in a division with a lot of notable big receivers,” Kempski wrote on August 23. “Ringo has size and speed, and has made some plays in the preseason games.”
The Buccaneers’ current projected starters at outside cornerback are Zyon McCollum and Benjamin Morrison, so “gross” isn’t too much of an overstatement.
McCollum’s play went off a cliff after he signed a $48 million contract extension before the 2025 season. Morrison hasn’t been healthy since the 2023 season at Notre Dame and missed 7 games as a rookie in 2025 due to lingering injury issues.
“This suggests the Bucs could give a seventh-rounder for corner Kelee Ringo for depth,” Fox Sports NFL reporter Greg Auman wrote on his official X account. “(Bucs head coach) Todd Bowles knows and loves that Georgia defense … ”
Kelee Ringo in Crosshairs in Philadelphia
The Eagles seem to have given Ringo every opportunity under the sun to establish himself as a full-time starter — nothing seems to take.
The Athletic’s Zach Berman thinks Ringo might still have value for the Eagles — as a trade piece.
Ringo, a 2023 4th-round pick (No. 105 overall), has played in every regular-season game and playoff game for the Eagles over the last 3 seasons, including a Super Bowl win following the 2024 season.
Berman included Ringo on his 53-man roster projections for 2026 — with an asterisk.
“Ringo earns a roster spot as a special teams contributor, although he’s also a trade candidate,” Berman wrote on July 31.
Pro Football Focus graded Ringo out at 55.3 overall in 2025 — putting him 88th out of 114 eligible players at his position. While that makes him 1 of the NFL’s worst corners on paper, teams are seemingly always desirous to add players off winning teams. Which means there might be a trade market for Ringo, who is in the final year of his 4-year, $4.66 million rookie contract.
Winning Part of Kelee Ringo’s Football DNA
Whatever teams Ringo has been a part of during his football career to this point all have one thing in common — they win championships.
Ringo won a state championship at Saguaro (Arizona) High School on the way to becoming the nation’s No. 1-rated cornerback recruit in 2020.
In college, Ringo won 2 College Football Playoff national championships at Georgia in 2021 and 2022, when he was an All-SEC pick and sealed the win over Alabama in the CFP National Championship Game with a 79-yard interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Over Ringo’s final 2 college seasons, the Bulldogs went 29-1.
With the Eagles, there’s been a huge opportunity for Ringo — or anyone else — to take over the starting outside cornerback spot opposite NFL All-Pro Quinyon Mitchell in 2025.
The Eagles’ front office, ever-aggressive, addressed the issue in the offseason by signing Super Bowl champion cornerback Riq Woolen from the Seattle Seahawks on a 1-year, $12 million free-agent contract.
Eagles Trade Pitch Sends Super Bowl Champion to NFC South