According to PFF, Two Bucs Cornerbacks Are on the Cusp of Being Elite

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have several very talented position groups, on both sides of the ball. But when you hear these various position groups being discussed and dissected by NFL analysts, specifically on the national level, it's rare to hear any mention of the Bucs' secondary. Especially the cornerbacks.

In the Tampa market though, the quality of this group feels like more of a hot-button topic. Fans of the team, or anyone who watches them regularly, seems to present a different outlook on the quality of this cornerback conglomerate.

"Why doesn't Carlton Davis have more interceptions?" -- "Just wait."

"Why can't Jamel Dean stay healthy?" -- "He's just had some bad luck."

"Does Sean Murphy-Bunting even deserve to be starting?" -- "Yes. Actually, no. Maybe?"

These are the types of questions, answers and varying opinions that seem to arise when fan discussions shift towards the Bucs' cornerback room.

That said, everyone seems to be in agreement — including the Bucs' front office — on one thing. And that is the belief that Carlton Davis is the team's best cornerback. It's impossible to dispute that Davis has earned the title of CB1 on this team. He's been the Bucs most productive and reliable outside cornerback since he first joined the team as a rookie in 2018. Having just signed a brand new contract (3yr/$44.5M) to remain in Tampa, the expectations for Davis will only be increasing from here on out.

Jamel Dean and Sean Murphy-Bunting on the other hand — both drafted by the Bucs in 2019 — have been slowed down by injuries at various points of their careers. That said, they've each shown flashes of exceptional play at times, as well.

I have been clear in expressing my opinion that Jamel Dean is a superior player to Murphy-Bunting for a number of reasons. You can find a more detailed explanation of my thoughts on Jamel Dean here. But it's not outlandish to say that these two players have been viewed in a similar tier over the course of their collective tenure in Tampa.

In a recent article for Pro Football Focus, Anthony Treash took on the challenge of ranking and tiering the best outside cornerbacks in the NFL. And in doing so, he paints a very positive picture of the Buccaneers' cornerback room.

When reading the article, it becomes clear that PFF views not one, but two of the Bucs' young outside cornerbacks as top tier players in this league.

Both Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean are listed in "Tier 2: The Cusp of Elite", where Davis occupies his position as the thirteenth overall outside corner in the NFL, with Dean right behind him as the fourteenth.

Here is PFF's analysis of Carlton Davis:

"Davis' size and physicality allow him to be a pass-breakup machine. No cornerback has forced more incompletions over the past three years of regular-season action than him (45). Davis also leads the league in contested targets forced in that span (71) and has made more than double the number of plays on the ball as first downs or touchdowns allowed on such plays."

It's no surprise to see Carlton Davis in this category, as the "Cusp of Elite" tier is certainly in line with most people's impressions of him as a player. Entering the first year of his new contract, many eyes will be on Carlton Davis to take another step forward this season, and really establish himself as a top-tier corner.

In terms of Jamel Dean, I would expect a lot of people — in Tampa, and beyond — to be at least a little surprised to see him ranked as a top-15 corner in football. He certainly possesses all of the physical tools to be an elite player at the position. He has a rare combination of size and athleticism, which allows him to cover a lot of ground. Those traits are undoubtedly most apparent when Dean is playing at his best.

Here is PFF's justification of Jamel Dean's ranking:

"Dean is the shining star of the 2019 cornerback class. Despite being a fringe top-100 pick in that draft, the Auburn product leads the class in career outside coverage grade (87.8). Dean has allowed just 0.75 yards per coverage snap on the outside in his career, trailing only Richard Sherman and Adoree’ Jackson for the best in the NFL."

Dean has been a PFF darling over the course of his career, registering extremely high grades for his efficiency. And although I probably wouldn't rank him as one of the top-15 outside cornerbacks in the NFL at this time, I certainly think he has all the tools to achieve that sort of ranking in the future.

Maybe you believe PFF has Davis too low, Dean too high, or prefer a different order altogether. Regardless, this ranking simply provides an opportunity to compare and discuss the best outside cornerbacks in the game. PFF's ranking is based on their own metrics, in conjunction with the production, stats and data these players have accumulated thus far in their careers.

Depending on what happens in the 2022 season — come this time next year — the hope for Bucs fans is that both Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean will find themselves in the first tier, after having established themselves as truly elite outside corners in the NFL.

And to be clear, if that happens, then chances are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will have had a very successful 2022 season, to say the least.

For more news, analysis and opinion on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, make sure to follow Collin Haalboom on Twitter, and check out the Bucs Banter Podcast!