Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht recently appeared on the Loose Cannons Podcast and discussed various topics. One subject that came up was the team’s decision to bring back safety Jordan Whitehead. After Whitehead spent the last two seasons with the New York Jets, the Bucs signed him to a two-year, $9 million contract this offseason.
Licht openly admitted, “Bringing Jordan back was a moment of reflection for me. We had to draw a line somewhere, and I made an error. I’m relieved we were able to re-sign him. I regretted letting him go the moment it happened. Fortunately, we had the opportunity to correct that mistake. Everyone involved, including safeties coach Nick Rapone, head coach Todd Bowles, and myself, is thrilled about his return. He’s poised to make a significant impact for us this season.”
Jordan Whitehead Big Part Of Bucs Super Bowl Success
Following Jason Licht’s selection of Jordan Whitehead in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft, the former Pitt Panther quickly rose to prominence, securing a spot in the starting lineup by his second season. By 2020, Whitehead showcased his best performance yet, earning a 66.3 overall grade and a 63.7 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus. His success continued into 2021, the final year of his rookie contract with the Bucs, where he achieved even higher marks with a 74.9 overall grade and a 72.2 coverage grade.
Teaming up with Antoine Winfield Jr., Whitehead formed one of the league’s most formidable safety duos. Their contributions were pivotal in the Bucs’ defense, particularly evident in their dominant performance against Kansas City in the Super Bowl, where they effectively neutralized the Chiefs’ potent passing game, preventing them from scoring any touchdowns. In that game, Whitehead tallied two tackles and remained untargeted in coverage.
Despite his impressive stats—292 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, two sacks, five interceptions, 25 passes defensed, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries—Whitehead and the Buccaneers couldn’t reach an agreement on a new contract. Consequently, he entered free agency and inked a lucrative two-year, $14.5 million deal with the New York Jets.
Bucs Safety Play Struggled After Whitehead
Tampa Bay initially attempted to address the gap left by Jordan Whitehead’s departure internally by promoting Mike Edwards to the starting safety position alongside Antoine Winfield Jr. in 2022. Despite Edwards’ solid contributions of 82 tackles, one sack, three passes defensed, and two interceptions, the team hoped he would generate more turnovers than Whitehead had provided with his hard-hitting style. However, Edwards fell short of this expectation, failing to surpass Whitehead’s interception numbers from the previous seasons.
Subsequently, Edwards left Tampa Bay for Kansas City after the 2022 season. Despite trials with Keanu Neal and Logan Ryan, neither proved to be an improvement over Edwards. In an attempt to bolster their roster, the Bucs signed Ryan Neal as a low-profile free agent last year. Unfortunately, Neal struggled greatly, leading to his replacement in the starting lineup by a rotation of Kaevon Merriweather, Dee Delaney, and Zyon McCollum.
Observing the struggles of the secondary since Edwards’ departure and witnessing Whitehead’s success with another team, Licht had an opportunity during the offseason to correct what he acknowledged as a mistake by bringing back Whitehead, a key player in their Super Bowl win. Despite a competitive safety market featuring names like Jamal Adams, Justin Simmons, Xavier McKinney, Kevin Byard, and Geno Stone, Licht managed to secure Whitehead’s return at a manageable price that fit within Tampa Bay’s budget.
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