Jamel Dean is coming close to becoming a former member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers according to published reports.
Bleacher Report writer Moe Moton has gone on record with his belief Dean could be involved in trade talks this offseason.
"In 2023, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Jamel Dean to a four-year, $52 million contract that included $24.5 million in guarantees. However, he has struggled to stay healthy and made few game-changing plays," Moton said
The past two seasons have been especially difficult for Dean as he missed time due to injuries. He missed nine games over the last two seasons and the Buccaneers are said to be disenchanted with the veteran.
Tampa Bay officials are not too enamored with the statistics for Dean over the past two seasons. His production is not living up to the financial terms of his contract.
Dean has only registered 11 pass breakups and one interception while allowing the highest passer rating ratings in his six-year career. Teams expect cornerbacks to have more takeaways than one over two seasons.
Tampa Bay could always terminate Dean's contract and save money against the cap, but he does have value. Perhaps they might restructure his agreement to make it more cap friendly which would allow him time to progress and show the team the investment was fruitful.
If not, the Buccaneers could always look to trade him for a draft pick and send him on his way.
Former Tampa Bay defensive tackle Gerald McCoy has already picked out Dean's replacement. He has been lobbying for the team to sign former Philadelphia Eagles star cornerback Darius Slay.
