Bucs Urged to Find Trade Partner for ‘Expendable’ $52M Veteran
The Buccaneers defense suffered through injury after injury last season, and unfortunately, they look to be dealing with similar issues heading into 2025. They somehow entered Week 2 of the preseason with seven members of the secondary on the injury report. Despite their desperate need for secondary help, Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay pitched a trade involving an “expendable” veteran cornerback.
Jamel Dean Deemed ‘Expendable’ Based on Additions
Most of the focus this offseason has been centered around the questions about their offense. With Tristan Wirfs and Chris Godwin moving off of the physically unable to perform list, they should be in better shape on that side of the ball soon.
Unfortunately, the weak point of their defense has gotten even weaker. The Buccaneers secondary will be the focal point yet again this season, but they’ve already suffered through several injuries. With Christian Izien and Benjamin Morrison both questionable for Week 1, the Buccaneers will not have much to back up Jamel Dean, in case of any issues.
Even without much depth, Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay believes that the Buccaneers should move on from Dean. Yesterday, he put together one trade that each NFL team should propose before the start of the season. In his proposed trade, the Buccaneers would send Dean to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for just a 2026 fifth-round pick.
While that is quite the lackluster return for a former Super Bowl champion, Jamel Dean has been floated as a trade candidate for months and has even been mentioned among cut candidates. If there’s one thing that’s clear, media members don’t have much confidence in Tampa Bay keeping him around.
The main reason they’ve continued to include him in potential trades is that the Bucs spent significant draft capital on defensive backs this year. Tampa Bay used both of their Day 2 picks on cornerbacks, bringing in Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish. Kay’s pitch sees the Bucs shedding Dean’s salary in favor of their young talent.
Analyst Values Young Playmakers, Draft Pick in Proposed Trade
In terms of cap space, the Buccaneers are in a great place heading into this season. According to Spotrac, Tampa Bay sits near the middle of the pack in available cap space, boasting over $29 million to play with. So, if they were to make a trade involving Dean, money would not be the biggest issue.
Unfortunately, as Kay pointed out, Dean appears to have “regressed significantly” over the past few seasons. Despite a Super Bowl run during his sophomore campaign, the seventh-year veteran has struggled to stay healthy recently.
Over the past two seasons, he has missed nine games and has recorded just one interception and 11 pass deflections. If he can recover this season, the Buccaneers may reconsider any moves, considering they have him signed through 2026.
But, if they don’t see a viable path forward with Dean, Kay believes the Dolphins would bring him aboard. Personally, I see much more upside for Miami in this potential trade scenario.
“Miami is downright desperate for help on the outside after parting ways with Jalen Ramsey this offseason,” Kay wrote. “Dean may not be a star or even a long-term option for the club as he enters the penultimate season of his four-year, $52 million extension, but he’ll work in a pinch for the next two years—a worthy return on a fifth-round pick.”
