In the NFL, sometimes it’s best just to settle for a quick fix. Sure, teams want to create deep rosters via the draft. That’s the ultimate goal. But not everybody is the Philadelphia Eagles and can do it that way.
When you’re a contender and you’re just one position away, don’t let your pride get in the way of winning games by sticking with players who can’t get the job done just because you drafted them
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers find themselves in that type of scenario at cornerback, where they’re in dire need of a topline starter. Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox has them as the top possible destination for free agent Rasul Douglas.
“The 29-year-old also has a history of quickly adapting to new defensive environments,” Knox wrote. “He latched on with the Green Bay Packers in 2021 and immediately made a difference. He did the same after being traded to Buffalo in 2023 … Douglas would be a strong fit for a team with legitimate playoff aspirations. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who ranked 29th in passing yards allowed last season, should be interested.”
ESPN’s Jenna Laine had the possibility of adding another cornerback as the “biggest remaining roster question” for Tampa Bay on March 20.
“With this year’s record-setting defensive back deals, (Jamel) Dean’s $12.5 million salary and $15.1 million cap hit look like a bargain, but the Bucs still need a starting-caliber corner,” Laine wrote.
Douglas Started Career With Super Bowl Victory
Douglas was an All-Big 12 player at West Virginia before the Eagles drafted him in the third round (No. 99 overall) of the 2017 NFL draft —he started 5 games as a rookie and had 2 interceptions on the way to winning a Super Bowl.
Douglas was a part-time starter for 3 seasons in Philadelphia before he was waived in September 2020, kicking off a wild ride around the NFL. Since being waived by the Eagles, Douglas has played for the Carolina Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders, Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals, Packers and Buffalo Bills in 2024.
He’s also been a full-time starter at every stop, including landing a 3-year, $21 million contract with the Packers in March 2022.
Douglas Still Ranked No. 1 Free Agent
ESPN’s Matt Bowen has Douglas ranked as the No. 1 available free agent regardless of position.
Douglas made $7.75 million playing for the Bills in the restructured final year of his contract in 2024.
“Douglas is a physical corner with the length to disrupt the ball and the willingness to set an edge against the run (five tackles for loss last season),” Bowen wrote. “He’s an easy fit in a zone system that allows him to reroute underneath and attack the ball from the outside third of the field. Douglas returned one of his five interceptions for a touchdown in 2023, and he had five pass breakups last season.”
Douglas might be holding out for a long term deal that might not materialize at this point. Spotrac has Douglas’ projected market value as a 3-year, $35.7 million contract but the Buccaneers might be smart to start off with a 1-year, $8 million offer and see where things go from there.
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