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[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]

Can you guess this Bucs receiver in today’s in-5 trivia game?

Think you can figure out which Bucs player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

We’re back for another day of the Bucs Nation in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.

Today’s Bucs Nation in-5 game​

If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.

Previous games​

Friday, July 18, 2025
Thursday, July 17, 2025

Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​

NFL in-5
MLB in-5
MMA in-5

Bucs Nation in-5 instructions​

The goal of the game is to guess the Bucs player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/2025/7/19/24470390/sb-nation-buccaneers-daily-trivia-in-5

 

[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]

Bucs trivia: Your in-5 daily game, Sunday edition

Think you can figure out which Bucs player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

We’re back for another day of the Bucs Nation in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.

Today’s Bucs Nation in-5 game​

If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.

Previous games​

Saturday, July 19, 2025
Friday, July 18, 2025

Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​

NFL in-5
MLB in-5
MMA in-5

Bucs Nation in-5 instructions​

The goal of the game is to guess the Bucs player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/2025/7/20/24470847/sb-nation-buccaneers-daily-trivia-in-5

 

[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]

Can you guess this Bucs running back in today’s in-5 trivia game?

Think you can figure out which Bucs player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

We’re back for another day of the Bucs Nation in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.

Today’s Bucs Nation in-5 game​

If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.

Previous games​

Thursday, July 17, 2025
Wednesday, July 16, 2025

Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​

NFL in-5
MLB in-5
MMA in-5

Bucs Nation in-5 instructions​

The goal of the game is to guess the Bucs player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/2025/7/18/24469835/sb-nation-buccaneers-daily-trivia-in-5

 

[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]

Can you guess this Bucs safety in today’s in-5 trivia game?

Think you can figure out which Bucs player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

We’re back for another day of the Bucs Nation in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.

Today’s Bucs Nation in-5 game​

If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.

Previous games​

Sunday, July 20, 2025
Saturday, July 19, 2025

Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​

NFL in-5
MLB in-5
MMA in-5

Bucs Nation in-5 instructions​

The goal of the game is to guess the Bucs player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/2025/7/21/24471315/sb-nation-buccaneers-daily-trivia-in-5

 

[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]

Buccaneers sign Benjamin Morrison

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Buccaneers second-round pick is under contract.

The signing of second-round picks has become quite the storyline this offseason. While the negotiations in Cincinnati between Shemar Stewart and the Bengals have been the posterchild for it, many teams have found themselves in a similar situation— The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are no longer in that boat. The Bucs have agreed to terms with Benjamin Morrison and now can move ahead all systems go as the team turns to the start of training camp.

The #Buccaneers agreed to terms with CB Benjamin Morrison. The 53rd pick gets 96% guaranteed in the third year of the deal. Deal negotiated by Ryan Tollner and Rick DuPont of @excelfootball with Peighton Roth of the Bucs. pic.twitter.com/ZTd9qCqUZX

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) July 20, 2025​

With Morrison in the fold, the Buccaneers’ cornerback room has gone from barren to relatively crowded. Tampa Bay has now added three noteworthy members to the room through the draft and free agency, not including the additions of players returning from injury. That influx of talent has led some to suggest a surprise veteran-cut could be made before the start of the season. The Bucs’ defense, in particular the inability of their defensive backs to stay healthy, operated as a massive Achilles’ heel for the team last season. For the 2025 Buccaneers, that group will need to be a catalyst and not a detriment.

For more Bucs coverage check us out here:

@Will_Walsh_NFL(X)

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Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/2025/7/2...gn-benjamin-morrison-tampa-bay-bucs-nfl-draft

 

[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]

Buccaneers Quarter Century Team: Defensive Ends

Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images

We kick off the defensive side of the team with the pass rushers.

Discussing defensive ends is how we’ll start off the defensive half of the Buccaneers’ all-quarter-century team.

Let’s see who makes the cut.

Edge Rusher​

Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

1st team: Simeon Rice ​

When it comes to the Buccaneers getting to the quarterback, the first two names that come to mind are Lee Roy Selmon - the team’s original GOAT - and Simeon Rice.

Needing that heralded finisher to push a tough defense to another level, the team spent big in 2001 to acquire Rice in free agency after his first five years with the Arizona Cardinals saw him rack up 51.5 sacks.

Rice ascended with the rest of the defense, as he provided lethal quarterback-hunting ability for Tampa. After his first season saw him finish with 11 sacks, he served as a true game-wrecker for the 2002 championship team. Logging 15.5 sacks, 11(!!) passes defensed, and 50 combined tackles (12 for loss), Rice received first-team All-Pro honors and a Pro Bowl nod. He also added two sacks in the Super Bowl.

The next three seasons were similarly fruitful despite the team as a whole largely faltering, as Rice recorded 41 more sacks, 13 forced fumbles, 3 interceptions, and 35 tackles for loss before injuries basically forced him out of the league.

Rice’s pass-rushing prowess (69.5 sacks in 7 years) would be sorely missed in Tampa for more than a decade after his departure in 2007, as the team failed to have even one player record double-digit sacks until 2018. The team will induct him into its Ring of Honor in 2025.

Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

2nd team: Shaq Barrett​

As just mentioned, the Bucs went through a long stretch of general ineptitude when it came to rushing the quarterback, with many swings and misses at fixing the position. So ironically, one of the team’s most low-key acquisitions at the time turned out to be one of the most critical to flipping the defense around and winning its second Super Bowl.

Barrett caught on as an undrafted free agent with the Broncos and produced modestly as a rotational edge defender for four seasons (14.5 sacks) before Tampa brought him in on a 1-year deal worth $4 million in 2019. Tampa improved at the position the previous season but still needed more juice, and oh boy did Barrett provide an extra squeeze of that…or, you know, nearly 20 squeezes.

Barrett broke the team’s single-season record for sacks in a season (19.5, which also led the league), in addition to compiling 6 forced fumbles and 58 combined tackles (19 for loss), and earned second-team All-Pro, a Pro Bowl nod, and a top-five finish for Defensive Player of the Year.

In the Super Bowl year, he wasn’t quite as prolific but still a high-quality threat – he finished with 8 sacks, 57 tackles (11 for loss), and two forced fumbles. He came in clutch during the playoff run, sacking Aaron Rodgers thrice in the NFC Championship Game and Patrick Mahomes once in Super Bowl 55.

SHAQ BARRETT.

: #SBLV on CBS
: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/HJtQf5igun pic.twitter.com/ESRPxutkx9

— NFL (@NFL) February 8, 2021​

Barrett completed his Bucs tenure with 45 sacks in 71 games, as well as 15 forced fumbles and 3 interceptions (1returned for a touchdown). An Achilles tear sadly robbed him of what could’ve been more productive golden years, but he’ll always be praised in Tampa for the work he did revitalizing the team’s defense.

Honorable mention: Jason Pierre-Paul​

Barrett’s partner in crime, Jason Pierre-Paul represented Jason Licht’s first major addition to the pass rush in 2018. Having already spent eight seasons with the New York Giants, they looked to get younger and shed salary, so off they sent Pierre-Paul to Tampa for a third-rounder and a swap of fourth-rounders.

New York’s loss was Tampa’s gain, as a reinvigorated JPP dominated all season for the Bucs en route to 58 tackles (16 for loss) and 12.5 sacks – the first double-digit mark for a Buccaneer since Rice in 2005. His presence helped lay the foundation for that defensive revitalization, and Pierre-Paul actually led the team in sacks again (9.5) during the championship season and got a Pro Bowl invite.

He finished his Bucs tenure with 52 starts and 33 sacks to go along with 8 forced fumbles and 35 tackles for loss. He would also tie Simeon Rice for most consecutive games with a sack (6). His role in ending the team’s pass-rushing woes will always be a vital element of the team’s first 25 years of the 21st century.

Jason Pierre-Paul @UDWJPP

: #MINvsTB on FOX
: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/tvMsTDEOAi pic.twitter.com/A6uNqcHeC1

— NFL (@NFL) December 13, 2020​

Defensive End​

Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

First team: Greg Spires​

Being a defensive end isn’t always about flash, which is why we have this section for guys who may have more of a reputation as salt-of-the-earth type players.

Greg Spires certainly meets that criterion. The Bucs needed more oomph opposite Rice in 2002, so they signed Spires in free agency. A sturdy player known more for his run defense than pass-rushing chops, Spires had started only 7 games for New England and Cleveland prior to his arrival.

However, Monte Kiffin’s scheme fit Spires far better than either of his previous stops, and the results spoke for themselves. Spires proceeded to start all but one game over the next five seasons for Tampa. He supplied the thunder to Rice’s lightning, as the two formed a well-suited tandem on Kiffin’s dangerous defensive line.

He peaked with his career-high of 8 sacks in 2004, and Spires managed to collect a respectable 26 total in six seasons (87 starts). Again, the results were hardly ostentatious, but you don’t start several years on a perennially elite defense if you’re not good at the role you’re asked to fill.

Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

Second team: William Gholston​

One of two Bucs’ iron men of the modern age, Will Gholston has seen everything since he joined as a fourth-round pick in 2013.

His entire rookie deal saw him as a square peg in a round hole on some very bad teams, but once the team switched to a 3-4, he found a more natural fit and started generating more success between 2019 and 2022 when he started a majority of games he appeared in (39 out of 66).

Overall, he played 12 seasons and 186 games for the Bucs (assuming the team doesn’t re-sign him for 2024), the latter of which ranks fifth all-time behind only Dave Moore (190), Lavonte David (198 and counting), Derrick Brooks (224), and Ronde Barber (241). Gholston started 91 of those contests, compiling 20.5 sacks and 432 tackles (59 tackles for loss).

No one will ever mistake Gholston for a game-wrecker, but his steady presence through good times and bad times made him a Buc to remember.

Honorable mention: Stylez G. White​

The list of quality defensive ends starts to disintegrate a bit here but we’ll give style points for Stylez G. White (formerly just Greg White).

Originally a 7th round pick in 2002, White actually spent time with the Bucs’ championship 2002 squad as a practice squad member but didn’t stick around past November of that year. His story is one of perseverance, as he bounced around several practice squads, NFL Europe, and the Arena Football League before the Bucs finally gave the 28-year-old his first true chance.

Replacing Rice was an impossible ask, but White actually led the team in sacks in 2007 with 8 despite starting only 2 games and even forced 7 fumbles. He proceeded to play 63 games total (23 starts) in four seasons, collecting 24 total sacks, 111 tackles, and 10 forced fumbles. He, along with Michael Bennett, would be the only glimpses of decent edge rush the Bucs would see through most of the period between Rice and JPP, so that’s worth something I suppose.

---

Any good sack memories, Bucs Nation? We’ll do defensive tackles next.

Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/2025/7/2...ds-simeon-rice-shaq-barrett-jason-pierre-paul

 

[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]

The Buccaneers are investigating offensive linemen

Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images

No Tristan Wirfs, no problem?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers received some bad news when they found out star left tackle Tristan Wirfs would be missing the season's debut, and potentially a decent chunk of time after that. Wirfs' inability to play will be leaving the Bucs with genuinely gigantic shoes to fill.

The in-house next man up is Charlie Heck, resident swing tackle. Heck was signed earlier this offseason to fill the role filled by Justin Skule for the last two years.

Tampa Bay appeared to be all systems go with Charlie Heck until reports surfaced today, that perhaps the team is lacking complete and utter confidence in their backup swing tackle— Bringing in George Fant, a veteran tackle, for a workout.

Source: Former #Seahawks OT George Fant is working out for the #Bucs today.

Fant has 75 career starts, and Tampa Bay is exploring options at OT with All-Pro Tristan Wirfs expected to miss the start of the season due to a knee injury. pic.twitter.com/E1myZ46LWb

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) July 22, 2025​

Fant is an interesting potential pickup for Tampa. He has played in 69 career games for three separate franchises, giving him experience, if nothing else.

Tristan Wirfs is arguably the team's best individual player on any given Sunday and the Buccaneers have no chance of replacing him with anyone who is already on their roster or currently on the free agent market to be added. For the Buccaneers, the key will not be replacing Wirfs, rather finding a way trend water and manage the situation until he returns. Would George Fant help Tampa stay afloat?

For more Bucs coverage check us out here:

@Will_Walsh_NFL(X)

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Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/2025/7/2...emen-tampa-bay-bucs-george-fant-tristan-wirfs

 

[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]

A new look coming for Bucs Nation in August

Photo by Kirby Lee/Getty Images

Our coverage remains the same but with a new look

In just a couple of weeks, Bucs Nation is switching to a new platform as part of SB Nation’s network-wide move to a new publishing platform. This will change the look of the site and also make it faster and more reliable on any device you use. This is an upgrade.

When you land on the site, it will look cleaner – less clunky, with more white space, a better ad experience with faster load times – but will still have all the usual articles, analysis, and news by all the folks you know.

Community discussion and content created by you will be more prominent in the new design. The best comment threads will be easy to find, and staff and commenters alike will be able to start conversations whenever they like with a brand new tool.

We’re planning on an early August reveal, so we wanted to give you a heads up. You’ll hear more from us when it’s almost here. The site will look a little different, feel a little faster, and, most importantly, have a bigger role for you, the community.

So, stick around and check it out!

Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/2025/7/24/24472184/a-new-look-coming-for-bucs-nation-in-august

 

[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]

Buccaneers Quarter Century Team: Linebackers

Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

Arguably the most decorated position group in team history is next.

Buccaneers fans may not have been consistently spoiled in much for the better part of the last 25 years, but one spot where everyone has been consistently indulged is linebacker play.

Boasting some of the greatest of all time at the off-ball position, let’s reminisce.

Outside Linebacker​

Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon SMI/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

First team: Derrick Brooks​

No stanning necessary for Hall of Famer Mr. Derrick Brooks – of course I’m going to do it anyway.

Brooks is in the conversation for not only one of the greatest WILL linebackers of this millennium, but in all of history.

He collected all of the accolades that Lavonte David missed out on (we’ll touch on that soon), as Brooks finished as a nine-time All-Pro (first-team five times), 11-time Pro Bowler, and one-time Defensive Player of the Year. Brooks is one of only 29 players in history to have 11 Pro Bowl selections or more, and he’s one of only three off-ball linebackers to do it. He’s one of only 26 players with 9 total All-Pros or more.

He finished third all-time in solo tackles (1,300) and seventh in combined tackles (1,713). He scored seven defensive touchdowns, including six pick-6s (tied for the most all-time among off-ball linebackers). He tallied 84 passes defensed, which ties for third all-time among linebackers, and added 24 forced fumbles and 13.5 sacks.

He’s part of both the NFL’s 2000s All-Decade Team and 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. He entered the NFL Hall of Fame and the Bucs Ring of Honor in 2014, and he got his No. 55 jersey retired by the team.

It could be strongly argued no one represents the best of the Buccaneers better than Brooks, who spent his entire 14-year career in Tampa and started every game for 13 consecutive seasons. He’s the franchise’s shining star and an all-time Tampa sports great, regardless of sport.

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images

Second team: Lavonte David​

Perhaps the most criminally underrated player of any position in the last 25 years, Lavonte David stands out as one of the greatest playmaking linebackers in NFL history. I could use this section as a soapbox for my David stump speech, but the statistics can do the talking.

David is currently fifth all-time in solo tackles with 1,111, and he’s likely to move into fourth as he needs just 25 tackles to do so. With that, he’ll be behind only Ray Lewis, London Fletcher, and Brooks.

If he forces just one fumble this year, he’ll move into a tie for top 25 all time – one of only four non-pass rushers to reside on the list. His current number of 31 is fourth among active players, and he’s the only off-ball linebacker in the top five.

His most insane stat may be his tackles for loss. David has lived in the backfield for 13 years, as his 169 total is third among active players (behind only Calais Campbell and Von Miller) and far and away the highest total for off-ball linebackers (Demario Davis is next with 110). He’s ninth all-time, once again the only linebacker even close to the top 10 (Brian Urlacher is 14th with 138).

You can add 39 sacks, 13 interceptions, 19 fumble recoveries, and 70 passes defensed to his ledger as well – all of which lead or finish in the top three for off-ball linebackers of the last decade.

Inexplicably, all of this production has translated to just one Pro Bowl and three All-Pros for the long-respected veteran. As frustrating as it is, David continues to give full-tilt effort every week as a 35-year-old, and that should be expected to continue in his 14th season this fall.

Whether he gets into the Hall of Fame anytime soon will long be a matter of debate, but there’s no arguing his place among all-time greats in franchise history.

Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

Honorable mention: Ryan Nece​

When 21 of the last 25 years are highlighted by two of the best ever, the dropoff is going to be precipitous to the next guy.

So everyone give a hand to Ryan Nece!

An undrafted free agent and son of hard-hitting Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, Nece worked his way into a consistent role for the Bucs as both a starting linebacker as well as a special teams ace through the years.

He started at strongside linebacker in the 2002 championship year, logging 62 combined tackles and an interception in 10 starts. He continued to fill in as a starter for several years after that, providing solid but unspectacular play.

In six seasons with the Bucs, Nece played in 85 games (starting 35) and logged 239 combined tackles (12 for loss), 3.5 sacks, and 2 interceptions. He also adds to his Tampa legacy as a successful entrepreneur famous for his contributions to local charities and non-profits, and he still frequents Buccaneers games and events. All in all, a successful career.

Inside Linebacker​

First team: Shelton Quarles​

The definition of quality, persistent linebacker play should be a picture of Shelton Quarles.

An undrafted free agent in 1994, Quarles did not make the Miami Dolphins roster before moving on to the Canadian Football League for two seasons. He then re-emerged with the Bucs, who played him as a backup and special teamer for two more years before he eventually stepped into the strongside linebacker role next to Jamie Duncan and Derrick Brooks to form a fearsome trio.

He took the reins at middle linebacker at the ripe age of 31 but played as well as several players his junior, proceeding to start the next five seasons as the defense’s keystone. In 70 starts at middle linebacker, Quarles earned a Pro Bowl nod and produced 537 combined tackles (20 for loss), 12 passes defensed, 7 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions (one returned for a TD), and 8 sacks.

In his 10 seasons total, he started 113 of 148 games and finished with 710 total tackles (30 for loss), 8 forced fumbles, and 4 interceptions. He never dominated, but he was dependable at worst and very good at his best.

Quarles has continued to contribute steadily to the Bucs in an off-field capacity, as he’s been part of the front office since 2010 and is currently their senior director of football operations. In his current role, Quarles collaborates closely with the head coach and general manager to coordinate the team’s daily operations, supports roster management and contract negotiations, advises the pro personnel department on advance scouting, and oversees all aspects of player travel and transportation.

Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon SMI/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Second team: Barrett Ruud​

Drafted as Shelton Quarles’s eventual replacement in 2005, Ruud came in with high expectations as a second-round pick and eventually took over the full-time role in 2007.

From there, Ruud suffered from “good but not good enough.” In pass coverage, Ruud was consistently one of the NFL’s better inside linebackers when it came to dropping back and reading offenses (as his 6 career interceptions and 24 passes defensed would indicate). In that sense, he demonstrated reliability and playmaking ability.

On the flip side, his ability to play good run defense fluctuated wildly from week to week. He played for some not very good teams with not very good defensive lines, which is partly to blame, but there were more than a few occasions where Ruud would end up making the tackle 10 yards downfield after getting juked out of his shoes at the line of scrimmage.

Overall, I’d say the net product was a solid football player. Ruud played six seasons for the Bucs and started 68 games, compiling 584 total tackles (fifth in team history) as well as those aforementioned pass defense stats.

Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images

Honorable mention: Devin White​

When the Bucs drafted Devin White in the top 5 of the 2019 NFL Draft, he generated plenty of excitement with what he could do playing next to an elite playmaker like Lavonte David on a defense that sorely lacked other impact talents. And at first, that seemed to be totally justified when White impressed with a big rookie year.

White generated turnovers in several big moments, as he finished with 3 forced fumbles, 4 fumble recoveries (including 2 TDs), and an interception to go along with 91 total tackles and 2.5 sacks. If he did that relying primarily on insane athletic talent, everyone salivated over what he could do after learning from David and Todd Bowles for an entire offseason.

Well, his sophomore year was the Super Bowl season, and he played a massive role in that win. White started 15 games and notched 140 total tackles (15 for loss), 9 sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery en route to a second-team All-Pro nod. But beyond that, he led the team in tackles during the playoffs (38 total), as well as adding two interceptions and two fumble recoveries.

A 22-year-old with these playmaking chops? Tampa hit the lottery again! Well, so we all thought.

The reality became that White never improved beyond that – whether it was due to limited instincts, an inflated sense of ego, or both, we’ll never fully know. But White failed to improve as a pass defender, and run defense was also problematic.

Bowles practically treated White like his son for the longest time and refused to start benching him until late 2023, and from there his fate was sealed. White signed with the Eagles in 2024 but failed to play a snap for them, as he then made his way onto the Texans and played 7 games (1 start) with similarly mediocre results.

He’s on the Las Vegas Raiders now as he hopes to revitalize his career, but many of us will always be left wondering what he could’ve been after those first couple years in red and pewter.

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Any memories to share, Bucs Nation? Cornerbacks will be next.

Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/2025/7/2...kers-lavonte-david-derrick-brooks-devin-white

 

[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]

Buccaneers Quarter Century Team: Cornerbacks

Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

More defensive excellence is highlighted with the team’s illustrious cornerback history.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have more awesome football players to talk about on defense. Spread the news!

The topic is now the cornerbacks, which have seen a lot of not-so-good (let’s throw Vernon Hargreaves and E.J. Biggers out there, for instance), but the good has been VERY good. Let’s break it down.

First team: Ronde Barber and Carlton Davis​

Much like Derrick Brooks, Ronde Barber’s name is synonymous with Buccaneers excellence.

Spending his entire 16-year career with the Bucs and setting the record for most consecutive regular-season starts by a defensive back in NFL history (215 games), Barber revolutionized the nickelback position, played elite outside corner, and even excelled as a free safety in his final season.

The man truly did it all, and he did so with exemplary character and leadership that made him a beloved member of the Tampa community.

The list of records and accolades he achieved is almost too long to list. Almost.

He holds the Bucs’ records for most career interceptions (47), most passes defensed (197), most non-offensive touchdowns (14, and his 8 pick-sixes are top 10 all time), most games played and started (241 and 232, respectively), most sacks by a defensive back (28, which is also second-most all time), and most interceptions in a single season (10).

Barber is the only member of the 45/25 club (45 interceptions and 25 sacks) in NFL history, and he was a five-time All-Pro (three first-team, two second-team), five-time Pro Bowler, and a member of the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team. He received his gold jacket from the Hall of Fame in 2023 and got inducted into the Bucs Ring of Honor in 2019.

Truly one of the greatest of all time.

Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Now, Carlton Davis is not Ronde Barber. But that can be said of basically 98% of defensive backs in NFL history.

What Davis was, however, was a very good No. 1 corner who contributed a lot to the Buccaneers over six seasons. The trauma may’ve been blocked out of some fans’ minds, but it should be remembered that the Buccaneers, prior to Davis’s arrival, were horrendous on pass defense - like unwatchably bad. Between 2014-18, the Bucs finished bottom 5 in passing yards allowed and permitted the best completion percentage to opposing passers three times.

Jason Licht began pouring resources into the secondary like crazy, and 2018 yielded M.J. Stewart, Jordan Whitehead, and Davis. While it took a couple years to gel, with Davis often seeing a huge share of targets thrown his way, he eventually settled in as one of the NFL’s best zone defenders and consistently rose to the challenge of covering opposing No. 1s.

As long as their name wasn’t Tyreek Hill, Davis consistently put up excellent performances against the likes of Michael Thomas, CeeDee Lamb, Davante Adams, and Ja’Marr Chase. Aggressive and persistent, Davis logged some of the best passes defensed totals in football (73 total during his Bucs tenure).

While penalties (40 total) and injuries (never played a full season) kept him from being truly elite, Davis’s contributions to the defense nevertheless played a huge role in the team returning to relevancy.

Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

Second team: Brian Kelly and Aqib Talib​

One of the tougher choices on this list, Davis gets the nod over Kelly by the slimmest of margins. I went with Davis simply because he served more as a traditional No. 1, but that should not at all discount how incredible Kelly’s Bucs career was.

Kelly served as third corner behind Barber and Donnie Abraham for the first three seasons of his career before claiming a starting role and eventually leading the Bucs (and the NFL) with 8 interceptions in the team’s 2002 Super Bowl year. Kelly consistently displayed a nose for the football, logging 22 career interceptions and 99 passes defensed over 10 years with Tampa Bay.

Injuries consistently plagued him (he started 16 games only three times, the same number of times he got placed on injured reserve), and he never truly took that next step to being the team’s top pass defender, but he was consistently reliable as Barber’s running mate.

Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

Drafted in 2008 to replace Kelly, Aqib Talib had all the makings of Tampa’s next big star at corner. Unfortunately, he suffered from the chronic condition of being an idiot.

Talib immediately stirred controversy by starting a fist fight at the Rookie Symposium mere weeks after being drafted. He missed team functions and meetings, got suspended multiple times, and drew several on-field penalties for his demeanor as well.

However, it cannot be denied that Talib knew how to play. He collected 15 interceptions in just his first three seasons (finishing with 18 total in five seasons and three pick-6s), and he finished his Bucs tenure with 54 passes defensed.

Eventually though, his antics became too much for the team and he got traded to the Patriots in 2012 for a draft pick that eventually became Will Gholston. While not a bad return, it’s hard to argue it was an equitable value as Talib went on to five straight Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams. He still never fully shaped up and has dealt with legal troubles to this day, but he could’ve been so much for the Bucs.

Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Honorable mention: Jamel Dean and Donnie Abraham​

We’ve all had some big feelings about Jamel Dean recently, and that’s okay. It’s frustrating when a player struggles with staying on the field and then not being consistent while on it.

However, it’s important to remember the Bucs have kept him around for seven years now for a reason: he’s pretty good when everything is clicking.

Drafted as a third-rounder in 2019, Dean already came into the league with injury concerns after blowing up his knee, but the Bucs looked past that with the hope he could rebound – and they were mostly right. Dean played just 27 games with 12 starts in 2019-20, dealing with injury and sharing time with Sean Murphy-Bunting. However, he was productive when he did play with 3 interceptions (1 for a touchdown) and 24 pass defensed. He played very well during the Super Bowl run, in particular, pairing with Davis to play very strong pass defense.

Dean stayed on the field more consistently, starting 51 games over the next four years, logging 28 more passes defensed and 5 more interceptions. That said, he still missed 17 games in that time frame and left several other games early due to nagging injuries. We’ll see if he can turn his fortunes – and perceptions – around in Year 7, but his leash will be short with youngsters Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish poised to push for playing time.

Photo credit should read PETER MUHLY/AFP via Getty Images

Finally, Donnie Abraham would’ve likely cracked higher if he played more than just two years with Tampa in the 2000s. Abraham spent 6 years in total with the Bucs, setting a high standard from the get-go with 5 interceptions in his rookie year in 1996.

From there, he and Ronde Barber were nigh-impregnable in the secondary. In just three seasons between 1999-2001, Abraham recorded 20 interceptions and 64(!!) passes defensed and earned a Pro Bowl nod.

Unfortunately, the Bucs had other priorities in free agency in 2002 and had to let Abraham go, so he did not get to experience the sweet taste of championship victory. However, he played a big role in the team’s late 90s revival into a perennial contender.

Abraham finished his Tampa career second all-time in interceptions (31) behind Barber.

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Memories, anyone? Anyone at all? Safeties are next up.

Source: https://www.bucsnation.com/2025/7/2...y-team-cornerbacks-ronde-barber-carlton-davis