The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are gearing up to hit the field in 2024, and when they do, their cornerback corps will look a bit different.
The team traded away cornerback Carlton Davis III in the offseason, sending him to the Detroit Lions to earn the pick that would eventually nab Washington wideout Jalen McMillan. Because of that, cornerback Zyon McCollum is set to take a larger role, and he's ready to get to work in preparing for that responsibility.
McCollum spoke with BucsGameday on our Hear the Cannons podcast on Wednesday, and he was asked by a fan what he's working on the most heading into the new year. His answer focused on one big thing — while he briefly mentioned his overall coverage skills, he made it clear he wants to get the football more this year.
"Mainly tighter in coverage, especially off and press, but also it's just making those plays," McCollum said. "I had a lot of interceptions, two or three that touched my hands and then slipped through or I bobbled it on the way down."
McCollum emphasized that a lot runs through the mind of a defensive back when the ability to nab an interception comes their way, but the key is not to think too much about it when the opprotunity arises.
"I had a lot of interceptions, two or three that touched my hands and then slipped through or I bobbled it on the way down," McCollum said. "You think a million things. And then if you're thinking, you're not catching. And so those plays slip through my hands so much."
The third-year corner for 2024 has yet to record an NFL intercepton, having a few close calls during his first two seasons in the league. Don't expect that to happen in 2024, though. McCollum stressed that making sure to come down with those potential turnovers is the biggest thing he's looking to address in his game for the upcoming season.
"This year, my big focus is just not letting those type of plays, not letting game-changing plays slip through my fingers."
