Make no mistake – Bucs cornerbacks coach Kevin Ross is very high on rookies Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish.
But the starting job opposite Zyon McCollum could still be Jamel Dean’s to lose.
There is a reason why the Bucs drafted Morrison in the second round out of Notre Dame and Parrish in the third round out of Kansas State.
Dean has struggled to stay healthy and come down with interceptions since signing a four-year, $52 million contract with the Bucs prior to the start of the 2023 season. He’s missed a combined seven regular season games over the past two seasons, and was unable to play in the second half in each of Tampa Bay’s last two playoff losses – at Detroit and versus Washington. Dean has also only come down with one interception in the last 38 regular season games.
So Tampa Bay is hedging its bet that Dean will all of sudden play all 17 games and suddenly become a ballhawk at age 29 as he enters his seventh season with the team.
“If Jamel Dean catches the balls that he drops, we wouldn’t even be talking about this,” Ross said. “He’s got to catch the ball, he’s got to stay healthy, and he’ll be fine.”
Bucs CB Jamel Dean – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Ross knows what it’s like to be in Dean’s shoes. Dean will turn 30 in October, and it was at that same age that Ross was a veteran cornerback in Kansas City, dealing with a similar situation when the Chiefs drafted his eventual replacement.
“Jamel Dean – he’s going to be okay,” Ross said. “I was in that situation in Kansas City. We drafted a first-round corner in Dale Carter (in 1992) and we signed James Hasty from the Jets (in 1995). That’s the nature of this business. You’re trying to upgrade your team and keep your team up for the season. He’ll be ready. Everybody will be ready. It’s good for the backfield.”
Well, it didn’t work out so well for Ross.
He started all 16 games in 1992 in Kansas City and had a 99-yard pick-six that season. But Carter subbed in for the other starting cornerback, Albert Lewis, who missed half the season due to injury, and had seven interceptions to lead all Chiefs defenders as a rookie. The next year Ross was moved to safety to make way for Carter to start opposite Lewis.
Dean needs to have the training camp of his life to hang on to his starting job, but given his veteran status, he’ll remain the starter until he’s beaten out by either Morrison or Parrish.
“There will be a lot of competition out there,” Ross said. “You expect [Morrison and Parrish] to play, you expect them to contribute. “That’s the biggest thing – availability is the No. 1 thing. “Knock on wood, I hope [Dean] is healthy the whole year. But unfortunately, he hasn’t been. We haven’t played with the same secondary since God knows what year. It’s good to have these other guys come in and contribute.”
Jamel Dean Will Have To Hold Off A Challenge From Both Rookie CBs
When Jamel Dean is healthy, he’s proven to be one of the league’s best cover cornerbacks. He’s never had a Pro Football Focus grade lower than 71.8 (2021) in his six seasons in Tampa Bay and he’s never had a PFF coverage grade lower than 72.5 (2023). Last year, Dean earned a 75.7 PFF grade and 75.4 coverage grade despite missing 5.5 games in the regular season.
But it’s not just Dean’s availability that has the team concerned. It’s his lack of interceptions that has prompted Bucs head coach Todd Bowles to seek more ballhawks this offseason.
Notre Dame CB Benjamin Morris – Photo by: USA Today
Benjamin Morris had nine picks in his first two seasons at Notre Dame, including six during his freshman season. Jacob Parrish had five interceptions over the past two years at K-State, including four as a sophomore in 2023. Parrish made a strong first impression with a pair of pick-sixes in the team’s rookie mini-camp over the weekend.
“Great demeanor, great composure,” said Bucs cornerbacks coach Kevin Ross when asked to describe Parrish as a player. “Made a few plays – actually had the only interceptions during that camp. He did well.”
Parrish is being cross-trained as a nickelback as well as an outside cornerback, so it won’t just be Morrison that Dean will have to contend with in training camp.
“We have versatility – that’s the one thing we’ve got,” Ross said. “Parrish won’t be the only guy that has played nickel. Izzy (Christian Izien) has played nickel. Tykee [Smith] has played nickel. [Antoine] Winfield has played nickel. The more versatile those guys are, the more they have to offer us, the the better off we are.”
Bucs CB Jacob Parrish – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Ross said it was encouraging to see Morrison take part in the individual drills during rookie mini-camp after coming off hip surgery during his final season with the Fighting Irish. He just needs to get back into football shape before he’s cleared to participate in full team drills. That could happen by the mandatory mini-camp in June or by training camp in late July at the very latest.
“He’s got a great demeanor for the position and I think he has all the skills that we want in a corner,” Ross said. “He just has to get healthy right now. Once he gets healthy and starts competing then I think our backfield will be upgraded a little bit.”
Ross suggested that Morrison won’t be cross-trained at this time and will solely focus on playing one position, likely as Dean’s primary competition.
“I think basically outside right now,” Ross said.
Bucs CB Jamel Dean – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Where Dean has a decided edge on both Morrison and Parrish is his game experience. Dean has helped the Bucs win a Super Bowl and four straight division championships.
“Game speed,” Ross said when asked what the biggest challenge will be for his rookie cornerbacks. “We do so much at the corner spot – this team does so much at the corner spot that they’ve got a lot of learning to do.”
Yet both Morrison and Parrish had enough football I.Q. and ability to start as true freshman for the Fighting Irish and the Wildcats, respectively.
Man the best man win.