Now that cornerback Joey Porter Jr. has been traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Dallas Cowboys, the teams that were in the cornerback market have to turn their attention elsewhere. One name that is going to start to pick up steam is Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Zyon McCollum.
Mike Payton of A to Z Sports noted that the Detroit Lions‘ best pivot after missing out on Porter would be McCollum.
“The Bucs are in rough shape right now, and they very much look like a team that’s on the verge of a full-on rebuild,” wrote Payton. “McCollum could step right into Detroit’s secondary and give them a long-term answer opposite D.J. Reed.”
Payton notes that the Bucs could get a third-round pick in return for McCollum.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Could Trade Zyon McCollum
McCollum is in the first year of the three-year, $48M extension he signed with the team last year. The Lions would have to carry $1.4M on the cap for the rest of the season, and he would be on the books for $15M in 2027 and $16M in 2028.
For the Bucs, the move makes sense. They have seen Jacob Parrish step up from a slot cornerback to an outside option. Beyond that, Benjamin Morrison has shown promise in his second NFL season.
Those two are younger than McCollum and will remain on rookie contracts next year. Both are good starting candidates.
The Bucs are 0-3 and have a cornerback who is making notable money that might not be their best starting option next year. If Tampa Bay can unload the salary, get a pick, and still have two young cornerbacks to start for the rest of the year, it is hard to deny that this is a win.
The question is whether the Lions want to take on his salary and trade a pick.
Lions Are Getting Desperate for Cornerback Help
Detroit was heavily tied to Joey Porter Jr. They might be the team to get the most desperate to make a splash trade. This would help the Buccaneers.
As things stand, the Lions have D.J. Reed on the outside. Rock Ya-Sin started in the first two weeks, but he was essentially benched in Week 3. He played, but was fourth amongst cornerbacks in snaps.
Roger McCreary started on the outside, but he is their slot player on nickel downs. Ennis Rakestraw stepped in over Ya-Sin last year. However, the former second-round pick has hardly seen the field as he enters his third NFL season.
So, while they could continue with what they have, there are questions in all areas.
Even if the Lions are not the team to trade for McCollum, there are going to be teams interested. Any team that tried to add Porter should be open to adding McCollum. The Bucs should be reaching out to those teams to finalize a deal.
Buccaneers Urged to Trade $48 Million Starter