Buccaneers Free Agent Spotlight – CB Kareem Jackson

Not too long ago, my cornerback preview of the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine was published listed here on Bucs Nation. As has been the craze all of this off-period, followers of the team enable it be recognized they felt the smarter shift was bringing in a free-agent veteran alternatively than adding additional youth to an currently uber-youthful team of players.

Maybe they are suitable. And if so, there are sure players accessible who may perhaps fit the invoice. In this stab at figuring out the suitable guy, we’re seeking into Houston Texans cornerback, Kareem Jackson.

It is been 9 seasons due to the fact the Houston Texans drafted Kareem Jackson 20th total in the 2010 NFL Draft.

At the time, the reaction was a mixed bag. Dunta Robinson experienced been the Texans’ franchise corner right until then, and there had been problems Jackson would not be able to fill the job.

When he hasn’t manufactured any Professional Bowls or landed on any All Professional groups, he’s been a sound fixture for the franchise.

He’s performed no much less than twelve games in just about every of his 9 NFL seasons and has appeared in at least fourteen in just about every due to the fact 2013.

Jackson’s 16 vocation interceptions have him tied with Johnathan Joseph for the franchise direct and are 3 additional than Robinson experienced in the course of his time with the franchise.

Now, it may perhaps be time for Jackson to turn out to be the veteran permitted to stroll away even though the team looks for their upcoming shut-down corner to direct the way for the secondary in Houston.

Tampa Bay requires secondary help. Interval. The Buccaneers defense permitted a league-significant 72.5% completion share to opposing groups in 2018 and tied their NFL rating in ordinary yards permitted per completion (8.2). Which is a whole lot of yards folks.

When they did not surrender the most passing touchdowns past period, they did finish third amid the most permitted soon after supplying up 34 of them. Only the San Francisco 49ers (36) and Oakland Raiders (35) did worse.

It is no surprise then, the 49ers and Raiders just come about to be drafting ahead of the Bucs, but if Todd Bowles is going to get a change around going in calendar year one, he’s going to will need additional items.

And I concur with the followers who feel the team requires veteran management, not rookies. Despite the fact that, a small of equally could be excellent.

Signing a free-agent veteran usually takes a small of strain off the draft board in this predicament. Base line is, Jason Licht has got to come across a way to address some of his roster’s recent difficulties prior to the draft comes around. Signing a steady guy like Jackson could do just that in this case.

What Will Jackson Expense?

Robert Alford was not long ago unveiled by the Atlanta Falcons and signed by the Arizona Cardinals to a 3-calendar year deal worth $22.5M carrying a $6M cap strike in the initially calendar year.

The construction of the deal makes it possible for Arizona a prospect to get out with good to excellent price savings versus their cap in equally 2020 and 2021 if they do so.

Alford is a lot less than a calendar year young than Jackson who turns 31 in April even though Alford turns 31 in November.

The Cardinals cornerback has 10 interceptions by means of his initially six seasons, even though Jackson experienced 12 in the identical time.

Similarities among Alford and Jackson really do not halt there. Both are 5’10 and equally weigh in around the mid 180 pound assortment.

So, we can assume a very similar deal, if not a bit increased had been Jackson to have some competing bids going for him.

Will It Happen?

It is absolutely attainable. Despite the fact that, I’ve viewed nor listened to any reviews the Bucs experienced any interest in Robert Alford, indicating the team could be seeking for other physical features like dimensions and duration or they just did not like Alford.

There are other free-agent cornerbacks and just for the reason that the team might goal veteran expertise does not signify they are seeking in excess of the 30-calendar year previous threshold. With free-brokers ranging amid the mid-twenties as well, it would make sense for the Bucs to have a greenback-goal and negotiate around that quantity.

Of class, I feel like we have not yet listened to the past of the Patrick Peterson trade talks, and if Tampa had been to get involved in all those a restructured extension could undoubtedly be in participate in as a result lessening his strike versus the cap suitable away if so wished-for.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be searching for cornerbacks this off-period, and we’ll have to wait around and see if this product catches their eyes.