Buccaneers face difficult decision regarding $15 million cornerback

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are just a few weeks away from the start of free agency, where they may have to make a decision regarding the future of veteran cornerback Jamel Dean.

The Athletic insider Dan Pompei listed Dean as a potential cap casualty this offseason.

Done with Dean?

"Dean’s cap hit in 2025 of $15.2 million ranks eighth highest among NFL cornerbacks. And the Bucs, who reportedly have $11.7 million in cap space, will be looking for ways to trim. Dean is a solid player but he will be 29 in October and never has been a big-play producer or shutdown corner. Over the past two years, he has missed nine games and parts of five others with injuries. Cutting Dean would leave the Bucs thin at cornerback, however," Pompei writes.

The Bucs need to formulate some plan in case Dean isn't worth keeping before deciding to move on from him. Dean has a lot of talent, and while he may be overpaid based on the team's cap situation, the Bucs may be better off keeping him and looking for bargains at other positions than the other way around.