Bucs may lock down key defender before camp opens

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a cornerback on an expiring contract that could sign soon.

Aug 23, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles looks on before the game against the Miami Dolphins at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Zyon McCollum is entering his fourth season in the league, which means it's also the final year of his rookie contract.

The fifth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Sam Houston State has gotten better every season in his career with the Bucs, and he could be on the prowl for a new deal.

Bleacher Report writer Moe Moton named McCollum as the player with the most important upcoming contract extension.

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San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings is tackled by Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Zyon McCollum. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

McCollum needs a contract extension

"Last year, McCollum emerged as the Buccaneers' best cornerback, logging a team-leading 17 pass breakups and two interceptions while allowing an 86.9 passer rating," Moton wrote.

"Jamel Dean hasn't elevated his play after signing an extension in 2023, and Tampa Bay drafted two cornerbacks in the second and third rounds. McCollum is a known commodity and the stabilizing player in the Buccaneers' cornerback room. Entering a contract year, he has earned a pay raise."

The Bucs drafted two cornerbacks in Jacob Parrish and Benjamin Morrison, which could affect whether or not McCollum gets an extension.

The team could also get cold feet after Dean's extension two years ago, and the Bucs may not want to extend another veteran cornerback.

The Bucs could agree to a one-year or two-year extension, which doesn't keep them on the hook for too long, but it gives them the ability to keep him beyond the season without letting him walk in free agency next spring.

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