You know what they say — another day, another Eagles cornerback released.
Okay, they don't actually say that, but in this case, it's true. The Philadelphia Eagles released Darius Slay on Monday, and on Tuesday, they released their other cornerback, James Bradberry. The team clearly wants to get younger and save cap space, and they're doing it through these moves.
The Buccaneers know James Bradberry well — he used to play for the Carolina Panthers and did great work there before heading to the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles. He was a Second Team All-Pro in 2022 and was a Pro Bowler in 2020, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a need at cornerback with Jamel Dean's future at the position uncertain and a lack of depth looming large elsewhere.
So, with a hole to fill in the secondary...
Should the Buccaneers sign James Bradberry?
Probably not. Bradberry isn't too old at 31, but he didn't play in the 2024 season — and it's because he suffered one of the worst injuries a cornerback can get in their career.
Bradberry played good football in 2023, but during 2024 training camp, he tore both his Achilles and his Soleus muscles and was placed on Injured Reserve. An Achilles injury for a cornerback is rough stuff, as it severely limits mobility and could be a problem for when Bradberry wants to return.
As it stands right now, the Buccaneers are trying to get healthier. They traded Carlton Davis last season as injury concerns made his play not worth his absence, and the Buccaneers are facing a similar problem with Jamel Dean. Dean hasn't played a full season since joining the Bucs and has had one interception in two seasons, so Tampa Bay may be looking for more ball production out of another corner — one who will be healthy more often than not.
Bradberry doesn't fit that bill at the moment, so the Buccaneers will likely pass on him.
