It’s official: starting in 2019 for Tampa Bay will be a Detroit Lion. Moving on from the Super Bowl-winning cornerback and clearing some cap space at the same time, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers dealt cornerback .
Carlton Davis III and two sixth-round picks to the Detroit Lions for a third-round pick in the 2019 draft.
Following Baker Mayfield’s (re)introduction, head coach Todd Bowles addressed the media regarding the Lions’ acquisition of Davis.
“Carlton [Davis]’s been an excellent player for us, and as an organization, you have to make these tough decisions,” Bowles said of the trade.
“As a coach and as an organization going forward — in order to get your team better, in order to get the cap down, in order to get extra players, in order to get an extra [third] — it was very important for us.” Related: Wide Receiver Veteran Tampa Bay Buccaneers Moving On
At 4 p.m. EST on the first day of free agency, general manager Jason Licht—who, understandably, is in charge of the trade given his position—issued a press release announcing the news.
In the press release, Licht stated, “It’s always difficult to part ways with a player that has meant so much to your organization.” “Carlton has been an incredible teammate for the past six seasons and was a key component of our Super Bowl victory squad. We hope he has the best experience in Detroit and are grateful for the time we had together.
Now, the Bucs will probably focus on selecting a cornerback in the NFL draft, perhaps doing so in the first several rounds.
Until then, though, Zyon McCollum, another cornerback with “starting” experience, has already been brought in by the team.
McCollum had to step in quite a bit last year because CB Jamel Dean and Davis were both often sidelined with injuries at the same time. McCollum participated of defensive snaps in the previous season, and Bowles has reasonable faith in McCollum’s ability to step in for Davis in an emergency.
“Last year, I stated it all: Zyon [McCollum] was our third starter.
Whether it was the left or right side, he played for the majority of the year,” Bowles remarked.
Related: Baker Mayfield, quarterback for the Buccaneers, says, “We Call Tampa Home Now” River Wells can be followed on Twitter at @riverhwells. For more Tampa Bay Buccaneers coverage during the 2024 offseason, stay tuned to BucsGameday. Observe BucsGameday on Facebook and Twitter.
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