The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had their typical offseason so far. Which is to say it’s been pretty outstanding.
Somehow, they convinced wide receiver Chris Godwin to give them a hometown discount in the range of $20 million to stay in Tampa on a 3-year, $66 million contract. Then, they did the right thing by bringing back veteran linebacker Lavonte David at the heart of their defense on a 1-year, $9 million contract in what could very well be his last NFL season.
They also had a marquee free agent signing on the defensive side of the ball, bringing in free agent edge rusher Haason Reddick on a 1-year, $14 million contract.
Now, they need a cornerback. A good one. And unless they want to draft one, which is a possibility, they’re going to need to take a long look at the remaining cornerbacks on the free agent market. For a team that wants to be a Super Bowl contender, the Buccaneers should go after the very best one available with Asante Samuel Jr.
ESPN’s Jenna Laine had the possibility of adding another cornerback as the “biggest remaining roster question” for Tampa Bay on March 20.
“With this year’s record-setting defensive back deals, (Jamel) Dean’s $12.5 million salary and $15.1 million cap hit look like a bargain, but the Bucs still need a starting-caliber corner,” Laine wrote.