The Bucs’ defense was plagued by injuries in 2024, resulting in inconsistent play and forcing the offense to rely on hero ball. The lack of health to a lack of momentum to be gained by the group, but in 2025, they are poised to get back to their old ways as they pursue a championship.
Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton recently wrote about each team’s player that they need to prioritize extending before the new season. For the Bucs, it was one of their healthier defenders on the team in Zyon McCollum, whom he suggests the team work on extending next. The Sam Houston State cornerback-turned-NFC South defender has been steady for the Bucs, and the team rewarding him seems to be a foregone conclusion, but Moton suggests the sooner the better for both parties.
“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. 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.”
General Manager Jason Licht has been active this offseason, extending contracts and retaining players he views as building blocks for the team’s future. If McCollum fits that billing, he will find himself remaining in Pewter for the foreseeable future.
The Bucs’ secondary has to prove itself in 2025, though. Could Licht be waiting to see how he responds after a rough 2024 season as a unit before investing in individual pieces? Time will tell.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Buccaneers, Zyon McCollum could benefit from getting an extension done soon
Reporting by Andrew Harbaugh, Buccaneers Wire / Bucs Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
