Can Jamel Dean Be the Buccaneers’ $52 Million Secret Weapon in 2025?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been hard at work this offseason as they look to make some noise in the 2025 campaign. While the Bucs have exceeded expectations with Baker Mayfield in charge under center, they have only one win to show for in their two recent playoff appearances. The hope is that that will change this upcoming season.

Much has been made of the Buccaneers’ offense, as that unit is the one that powers Tampa Bay. However, their secret weapon in the 2025 campaign could be on the other side of the ball, and it could be someone who was already with the team entering the offseason. With that being said, let’s take a look at why cornerback Jamel Dean could be so crucial to Tampa Bay’s success this upcoming season.

Why is Jamel Dean so Important to the Buccaneers?

Dean latched on with the Buccaneers as a third-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, and he quickly found a role for himself in their secondary. Dean eventually became a full-time starter in 2021, and he’s become increasingly important since then. However, throughout the offseason, Dean has been viewed as a potential trade or cut candidate due to his large contract and the fact that Tampa Bay selected cornerbacks Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish in the 2025 NFL Draft.

There’s no doubt that Dean’s $12.5 million base salary in 2025 is high, especially considering he struggled with injuries last season. With him and Morrison believed to be competing for the starting boundary cornerback gig alongside Zyon McCollum, the Buccaneers could save over $12.8 million in cap space if they release or trade Dean.

Moving on from Dean may not be a great idea for Tampa Bay, though, as they could use his veteran presence in what is shaping up to be a young cornerback room. Beyond that, a quick look at the numbers shows just how important Dean was to the Bucs’ pass defense last year, which is precisely what Zachary Pereles of CBS Sports highlighted when explaining why the former Super Bowl champion could be so important for Tampa Bay moving forward.

“Dean missed time last season with injuries to both knees and a hamstring, and Tampa Bay missed him when he was sidelined,” Pereles wrote. “With Dean on the field, the Buccaneers allowed 6.8 yards per attempt and an 89.6 passer rating. Without him, those numbers were 7.6 and 111.4, respectively. Dean graded out as PFF’s 14th-best cornerback out of 77 who played at least 600 snaps.”

Buccaneers May Not be Able to Afford Moving on From Jamel Dean

When Dean has been healthy and on the field for the Buccaneers, he’s been impactful. Injuries have forced him to miss a combined nine games over the past two seasons, and while the development of McCollum has helped offset his Dean’s injury woes, it’s clear that Tampa Bay is at its best when he’s on the field.

Relying on a combination of Morrison and Parish as rookies would be a big risk to take, especially when considering Dean’s familiarity with the Bucs’ defense. He will have to earn his job during training camp, but assuming he does, Dean could end up being one of the most impactful players on Tampa’s roster as they attempt to make a deep playoff run in 2025.