Getty Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians said the team might have to look behind "Door No. 2" at quarterback.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will likely attempt to be buyers as the NFL trade deadline approaches but the question is whether the team will be able to make one more big move before November 2. Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox sees the Buccaneers as a potential landing spot for multiple Pro Bowl cornerbacks including Dolphins Xavien Howard.
“It wouldn’t be surprising if the Buccaneers go hard for a top-tier cornerback like Xavien Howard,” Knox detailed. “It would be even less of a shock to see them chase a second-tier corner like Kyle Fuller or Cameron Dantzler. And if the Panthers decide to sell, reuniting Brady and Stephon Gilmore might not be out of the question, though the chances of Carolina helping a division rival are admittedly slim.”
ALL the latest Bucs news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Bucs newsletter here!
The Bucs Shot Down Ronald Jones Trade Rumors
One move the Bucs are not expected to pursue is dealing Ronald Jones. The emergence of Leonard Fournette has seemingly made Jones more expendable, but Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians does not see it that way.
“No, not at all, I mean, it’s a long season and just that scenario that happened last year,” Arians responded to the trade rumors during his October 20 press conference. “Still with COVID, you can’t have enough good players.”
The Bucs Are Dealing With Several Injuries at Corner
The Buccaneers have been dealing with a litany of injuries in the secondary including the recently signed Richard Sherman. Despite being sidelined, Sherman has been helping the team as a “coach” until he returns to the field.
“‘Sherm’ did a great job,” Arians explained during an October 25 press conference. “But, no, ‘Sherm’ did a great job all week. He’s such a bright guy and he knows what we’re doing now. He can pick up those little things. He did a great job during the game talking to those guys also.”
Tampa Bay Is Expected to Be ‘Scraping the Bottom Floor of the Cornerback Market’
The Buccaneers have been on a roll to start the season, but if the team is to make a move the secondary is the most glaring need. Tampa Bay’s strong start gives them a bit of wiggle room to wait for their players to get healthy, but the Bucs have been ultra-aggressive making roster moves since Tom Brady arrived in 2020. Sports Illustrated’s Connor Orr expects the Buccaneers to be potential bargain shoppers for a cornerback.
“The Buccaneers will be scraping the bottom floor of the cornerback market,” Orr noted.
Despite the team’s early-season success, the Bucs secondary has consistently allowed big plays to opposing offenses. It is a big reason why Knox believes the Buccaneers front office could be aggressive before the deadline passes.
“The 6-1 Buccaneers are one of the best teams in football, but they do have injury issues in the secondary,” Knox added. “Carlton Davis, Sean Murphy-Bunting, Richard Sherman and Antoine Winfield Jr. have all missed time, and the Buccaneers have allowed 14 touchdown passes and rank 23rd in passing yards allowed.
“Murphy-Bunting (elbow) and Davis (hamstring) remain on injured reserve, while Sherman is expected to miss a “couple weeks,” per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.”