Zyon McCollum: Extended

[BucsFan6000]

Per Schefter: “Buccaneers and starting CB Zyon McCollum reached agreement today on a three-year, $48 million extension that includes $35.4 million guaranteed, per his agents Drew and Jason Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey. McCollum is now under contract through the 2028 season.”

[Miller4Prez64]

Very good value. I think he would command a lot more on the open market next spring with a good season.

[BucsNBills]

I wonder if Licht gets Zyon done soon as well.

Guess so.

Not a bad deal honestly. He basically takes Dean's cap space once he's traded/cut in the off-season.

[Dread]

2yr deal w/ a team option for yr 3 at $16m APY

Give a 5th round pick financial security. Never know what the future holds when you step on that field.

I don’t think this is even a top 20 for CB contract value for total guarantees or APY across the NFL

Keeps the current secondary together through atleast next year when Dean expires, including the primary backups who play a lot.

A great opportunity to have some real continuity

[Bootz]

Kinda shocked by this honestly. Hardly breaking the bank. But man.....It kind of shows how mediocre we've been at corner that our guys are getting such below market deals.

[Phantom]

Meh

[Bootz]

2yr deal w/ a team option for yr 3 at $16m APY

Give a 5th round pick financial security. Never know what the future holds when you step on that field.

I don’t think this is even a top 20 for CB contract value for total guarantees or APY across the NFL

Keeps the current secondary together through atleast next year when Dean expires, including the primary backups who play a lot.

A great opportunity to have some real continuity

I mean, that would mean a lot more if this secondary was actually good. It's not.

[Dread]

Kinda shocked by this honestly. Hardly breaking the bank. But man.....It kind of shows how mediocre we've been at corner that our guys are getting such below market deals.

Zyon played it safe and took the deal on the table.

[Bootz]

Kinda shocked by this honestly. Hardly breaking the bank. But man.....It kind of shows how mediocre we've been at corner that our guys are getting such below market deals.

Zyon played it safe and took the deal on the table.

This by far is the best deal he would've gotten.

[Dread]

2yr deal w/ a team option for yr 3 at $16m APY

Give a 5th round pick financial security. Never know what the future holds when you step on that field.

I don’t think this is even a top 20 for CB contract value for total guarantees or APY across the NFL

Keeps the current secondary together through atleast next year when Dean expires, including the primary backups who play a lot.

A great opportunity to have some real continuity

I mean, that would mean a lot more if this secondary was actually good. It's not.

They certainly haven’t been good. Last year they were bad for sure.

But I trust Bowles and the defensive coaches to figure it out this year. Better depth with Morrison and Parrish. Pass rush should be better also.

We’ll see. Continuity is generally a good thing in most teams sports and feel that true in football also.

Bowles got it figured with less talent when Dean and AWJ were pups a few years back.

[Bootz]

I mean, that would mean a lot more if this secondary was actually good. It's not.

They certainly haven’t been good. Last year they were bad for sure.

But I trust Bowles and the defensive coaches to figure it out this year. Better depth with Morrison and Parrish. Pass rush should be better also.

We’ll see. Continuity is generally a good thing in most teams sports and feel that true in football also.

Bowles got it figured with less talent when Dean and AWJ were pups a few years back.

The ONLY time in 6 years Bowles & Co had an even decent secondary was the Superbowl. Just the Superbowl. Aaron Rodgers torched this secondary in the NFC Championship game.

Ironically continuity has not been a strength of this secondary. All the talk about communication and etc, seems like they still haven't figured it out no matter who's in there. Some guys may have had great standout personal performances in the secondary. But as a unit, they've been bad.

[Doctor]

What a steal! If he has the season he is set up to have he could've gotten double on the market. Even if say last year is his peak and the INTs don't come, still great value.

The consistency on this defense is really going to snowball over the years. Kind of consistency that builds secondaries like the legion of boom.

[Grahamburn]

Nice contract. Congrats to him. Financial flexibility into next year getting him and Goedeke signed.

Leaves the tag as an option for Reddick or Hall if one or both of them have good/great years.

[IchabodCrane84]

Great front office moves for the 2026 off-season. This and Goedeke extensions allow us to focus on other needs in FA and go BPA in the draft.

[Bootz]

Great front office moves for the 2026 off-season. This and Goedeke extensions allow us to focus on other needs in FA and go BPA in the draft.

Yea, like the secondary.....

[IchabodCrane84]

Great front office moves for the 2026 off-season. This and Goedeke extensions allow us to focus on other needs in FA and go BPA in the draft.

Yea, like the secondary.....

Sure Licht has shown favoritism in drafting corners instead of signing them in free agency. He's also been willing to cut ties with drafted failures at CB and re-draft. We could go secondary next year but think linebacker, edge, and guard would be focused on first as of today.

[Kona]

Licht taking a page out of Howie Roseman’s playbook and signing these guys early at a “value” before they reach their ceilings and can hit the open market. Now if they hit their ceilings remains to be seen, but I’m optimistic. Glad to see both Zyon and Luke sticking around.

Only other young players worth an extension are Hall and Otton. I’d let the season ride with those two

[Doctor]

Even in a situation where Roberts develops fast and balls out I don't see why we wouldn't want Hall in the rotation. Would love to lock him up now.

Yaya the big question mark.

[BuccaNOLEer]

Kinda shocked by this honestly. Hardly breaking the bank. But man.....It kind of shows how mediocre we've been at corner that our guys are getting such below market deals.

Zyon played it safe and took the deal on the table.

Even if he doesn't play well, he's set for life.

[Backside]

I like it. Feels like the Bucs are operating differently from most other teams. They already have the most home grown players on any roster in the NFL, and they seem intent on keeping it that way. If they believe in these players and plan to keep them then it does nothing but save them money and give them more flexibility in the future to get these deals done sooner.

Shows a lot of confidence in their drafting and development process. We’ve already had some sustained success that fans couldn’t have dreamed about 10 years ago. It’s important to keep that in perspective while also knowing it’s time for the team to be aiming higher. If this is how they are operating you can’t be paying every drafted player for performance that simply hovers around average. These players need to continue improving and provide great value. Otherwise it seems like continuity and keeping everyone in house is the top priority over anything else. But so far it’s been going okay, with a massive judgement season on the horizon.

For now it’s full steam ahead. Comp pick enjoyers are in shambles.

[Central_Buc]

This leaves Otton which maybe they do have plans to resign but I think they might look at to upgrade TE as a receiving threat for Baker whether FA or draft.

Which tells me we get get a heavy dose of Culp this year

[Grahamburn]

Great front office moves for the 2026 off-season. This and Goedeke extensions allow us to focus on other needs in FA and go BPA in the draft.

Yea, like the secondary.....

Let’s see how they do with what we hope is an improved pass rush and a bit more help in the middle of the field.

[Bootz]

Yea, like the secondary.....

Let’s see how they do with what we hope is an improved pass rush and a bit more help in the middle of the field.

You can quite LITERALLY copy and paste this statement and accurately apply to the last 3 years. Literally!

[Grahamburn]

Let’s see how they do with what we hope is an improved pass rush and a bit more help in the middle of the field.

You can quite LITERALLY copy and paste this statement and accurately apply to the last 3 years. Literally!

You’re not wrong. I bag on Bowles as much as anyone, but I do think he was somewhat handcuffed by personnel at times last year.

No Kancey early. Winfield hurt early. Dennis hurt early. Whitehead got hurt. Tykee got hurt. No development from JTS.

That’s a lot to overcome and I’m probably forgetting something.

[Grahamburn]

This year you have a proven pass rusher in Reddick. Kancey is healthy to start the year for the first time in his career. Dennis in the middle has had the shoulder surgery finally so maybe he stops re-aggravating it? Parrish looks like the real deal. Tykee in a more natural position.

Lot to unpack but a lot to be excited for. They addressed their weaknesses.

[Doctor]

We really did address them just about as well as you could have asked for this off-season. Excited to see it come together. Moreso when Izzy and Benmo return.

[Snake]

Didn’t realize Dean had another year left in addition to this season. It’s fairly cuttable if he continues to decline.

Either way, cornerback is locked in for a couple years. It seems.

[Bootz]

If you know you have a guy on your roster that's gonna be cut, kinda tells you what you already need to know. The position isnt as solidified as people want to try and fool themselves into believing.

[Snake]

If you know you have a guy on your roster that's gonna be cut, kinda tells you what you already need to know. The position isnt as solidified as people want to try and fool themselves into believing.

They cut Dean after 2025.

Leaving Zyon…and two rookies (Morrison, Parrish) who you hope showed A LOT.

Everyone else is immaterial.

[Bootz]

If you know you have a guy on your roster that's gonna be cut, kinda tells you what you already need to know. The position isnt as solidified as people want to try and fool themselves into believing.

They cut Dean after 2025.

Leaving Zyon…and two rookies (Morrison, Parrish) who you hope showed A LOT.

Everyone else is immaterial.

Exactly my point.

"He's our #1 corner making a nice chunk of change and we value him so much that we're gonna cut him when the season ends".

Why should that inspire any confidence that things will be different this year? Or are we already conceding that 2026 is when we'll REALLY see change,

[Phantom]

I couldn't believe my luck when I heard they were going to give McCollum an extension, right after they extended Goedeke.

I knew it

[Grahamburn]

Why would we cut Dean? He’s cheap as all Hell. I don’t get the hate for the guy.

[Doctor]

Totally agree. Dean is far more valuable on roster.

[Bootz]

Yea, why would we want to try and get better? We just won the Superbowl 5 years ago. No reason to change anything.

[Doctor]

We can get better by developing our own players. Benmo and Parrish both have outside potential. Still doesn't make sense to cut Dean, especially at his cost.