Buccaneers need this free agent to offset key injury early

The Buccaneers need help at corner with a key starter out.

With the sudden hole in the Buccaneers secondary caused by the unfortunate injury to cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting in the team’s first game of the season last, the Bucs may need to look to the free-agent market to ensure their defense remains strong in his absence.

SMB is a very tough player to lose, and while the Bucs do have some depth players like Jamel Dean and Ross Cockrell to lean out, one more injury could take this unit out of contention.

Given the close-knit team chemistry the Bucs have fostered in the last season together, it would be unwise to try and bring in a young gun that could potentially stir the pot a little more than the Bucs would like right now.

Instead, it would be far wiser to try and acquire an established player that can make contributions on the field in Murphy-Bunting’s absence as well as in the locker room after he returns.

Following those parameters, the Bucs would be wise to sign veteran cornerback Richard Sherman.

Despite his older age, Sherman has, at different times in his career, been considered one of the top cornerbacks in the league and performed very well in his last full season (2019), when he played to an extremely high level. The Bucs saw this first-hand at home to start the season.

Sherman has both regular and postseason experience and knows what it takes to win a Super Bowl and also almost beat his potential new teammate, Tom Brady, then on the Patriots, in Super Bowl XLVIII.

Sherman has been in the league longer than any other useable free agent currently and would easily mesh with the rest of the veteran Bucs squad. It also makes sense for someone at his age to sign for a smaller paycheck to get a chance at competing for a Super Bowl.

It is worth noting that Sherman is one of the best press-man corners in the NFL and would fit like a glove in Todd Bowles’ defense. Carlton Davis isn’t the fastest player in the NFL, but him finding so much success in Tampa shows Sherman could too.

Regardless of what the Bucs decide to do, they have several weeks at best until SMB is anywhere near the field again and will need to find a way to get by until then.

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