Given the way the 2024 season played out, no one would argue that the Bucs’ biggest needs heading into the offseason are on the offensive side of the ball. Rather, it’s clear that it’s Tampa Bay’s defense that needs the most attention during free agency and into the 2025 NFL Draft.
Through that lens, Pewter Report’s latest social media poll – which spanned across Twitter/X, Instagram/Facebook and YouTube – aimed to gauge what Bucs fans view as the early priority for the team’s first-round pick in April. Of course, this question comes before free agency, so the biggest need could very well change by mid-March.
With the options set to outside linebacker, inside linebacker, cornerback and other, there ended up being a pretty decisive consensus between each platform.
Over 1,296 votes on Twitter/X, 44.6% chose cornerback as the early priority for the Bucs’ No. 19 overall pick in April. Next up was outside linebacker at 30.7%, while inside linebacker came in at 21.7%. Only 3% of voters chose “other.”
Bucs GM Jason Licht and HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Between Facebook and Instagram, there were 1,393 voters. Once again, only 3% voted for “other,” so it was down to the three defensive positions. The same order came about, as inside linebacker was the third-highest percentage at 14.7%. Meanwhile, 20.9% of voters picked outside linebacker, and a staggering 61.4% went with cornerback.
As of 9:30 a.m. ET on Jan. 30, there were 976 votes tallied on the YouTube poll. The breakdown was slightly different, as inside linebacker took 25% of the vote over outside linebacker’s 24%. With “other” once again garnering just 4%, cornerback was once again the top choice at 47%.
So, across the 3,665 votes on all platforms, it was corner taking more than half of the votes at 51%. After that, outside linebacker got about a quarter of the votes, while inside linebacker notched just under 20% and “other” finished with about 3%.
Bucs Fans Want The Pass Defense Fixed In A Big Way
Bucs CB Jamel Dean – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
It’s not overly surprising that many Bucs fans and Pewter People are favoring cornerback as the early priority for the team’s first pick in April. Many seem to be operating under the assumption that Tampa Bay will move on from Jamel Dean between now and April, as adding a first-round cornerback to the roster as it stands right now would give the defense a high draft pick, Dean and Zyon McCollum for two starting spots.
With Dean’s lack of takeaways and struggles to stay on the field due to injury, there’s not going to be many who jump to his defense and make the case for the Bucs to keep him around for the third year of the 4-year, $52 million contract he signed after the 2022 season. If Tampa Bay finds a trade partner for him like it did with Carlton Davis III last offseason or simply releases him, that does leave an open spot for an outside cornerback drafted at No. 19 overall.
There’s no denying the need to upgrade the secondary this offseason. The Bucs finished 2024 with the 29th-ranked pass defense, allowing 243.9 passing yards per game. Not only that, but their seven interceptions as a team tied for the fourth-fewest in the league last year.
Todd Bowles’ pass defense has actually been problematic for a few years now. It allowed 248.9 passing yards per game in 2023, which also ranked 29th in the NFL. Tampa Bay also had the fourth-fewest interceptions in the league in 2021 (12), 2022 (10) and 2023 (10).
Bucs head coach Todd Bowles and GM Jason Licht – Photo courtesy of the Buccaneers
So, moving on from Dean may be the first step toward changing things up on the back half of the defense. From there, maybe the Bucs add a cornerback in free agency. That could mean a starter, but even if they like the idea of drafting a corner in the first round to start, the team desperately needs depth. That’s the case even if they run it back with Dean and McCollum.
There’s also a case to be made, though, that an outside linebacker at pick No. 19 would help the defense’s pass rush, which could in turn help the pass defense. In that case, general manager Jason Licht could then use Day 2 to find another cornerback (or two?). Licht and his staff have proven capable of finding cornerback talent on Day 2 before, getting both Davis and Dean as third-round picks and even getting McCollum in the fifth.
Of course, the point remains that it’s early. The Bucs’ true draft priorities will become clearer once they’ve done their free agency work. But for now, it’s clear the Tampa Bay faithful would love to see a corner taken with the No. 19 pick.
NEW Pewter Report Polls Every Monday And Friday Across All Channels
Stay tuned to Pewter Report’s social media channels each week for more Pewter Report polls. Every Monday and Friday, we’ll be looking to hear from Bucs fans on the latest surrounding the team.
Follow us:
Twitter/X: @PewterReport
Facebook: Pewter Report
Instagram: @pewterreport
YouTube: PewterReportTV
