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The easy place to place the blame for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ struggles in 2024 would be injuries to star players. Dig a little deeper and there’s plenty of other places to point the finger.
Even more than injuries, the problem for the Buccaneers has been a terrible defense and, more specifically, a porous secondary that can make even the most average quarterback come away feeling like an NFL All-Pro.
That’s why it’s a solid bet the Buccaneers will try to make improvements in their defensive backfield in the offseason, and Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder predicts Tampa Bay will make a run at signing Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Kristian Fulton in free agency.
“In the post-Tom Brady era, general manager Jason Licht has done a wonderful job of balancing veteran talent with young up-and-coming players,” Holder wrote,. “We can expect Licht to prioritize youth on the open market while continuing to build for the future. Chargers cornerback Kristian Fulton won’t turn 27 until next September, and he’s having a terrific season in his first year under Jim Harbaugh.”
Fulton’s Career Resurgence Under Harbaugh
Fulton was a second round pick (No. 61 overall) by the Tennessee Titans in the 2020 NFL draft after helping lead LSU to a College Football Playoff national championship alongside future NFL stars like Joe Burrow, Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase.
Fulton played 4 seasons for the Titans and was a full-time starter for the last 3 seasons when he was healthy. Fulton missed a whopping 25 games over his time with the Titans thanks to a variety of injuries.
With the Chargers in Harbaugh’s first year, Fulton has made himself into an attractive target in free agency while playing on a 1-year, $3.125 million contract he signed in March 2024. While Fulton missed 2 games with a hamstring injury, he’s made 7 starts in 8 games and has a 77.4 grade from PFF, with 18 tackles, 6 pass deflections and 1 interception.
When Fulton is available, he’s consistently shown he needs to be on the field, with 44 starts in 50 career games.
Buccaneers Traded Away Best Cornerback on Roster
While the Buccaneers made a splash by signing NFL All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. to a 4-year, $84.1 million contract extension before the 2024 season, it was another move that may have sealed the secondary’s fate.
That move was when they traded veteran cornerback Carlton Davis and a pair of sixth round picks to the Detroit Lions in exchange for a 2024 third round pick Tampa Bay used to select University of Washington wide receiver Jalen McMillan.
With Davis playing at a Pro Bowl level and having rejuvenated his career on the NFL’s hottest team — and headed for a big payday — the Buccaneers are having their worst defensive season in recent memory and are 30th in the NFL in team defense and 30th in the NFL in passing defense.
The Buccaneer are currently 4-6 and on a 4-game losing streak headed into back-to-back road games at the New York Giants and Carolina Panthers, which are both must-win games if they want to make the playoffs for a fifth consecutive season.