It’s no secret the Bucs will likely be seeking to make personnel adjustments on protection this season. Cornerback is a main alternative for the staff to enhance. Final 12 months the season-ending harm sustained by free agent addition Bryce Corridor within the first sport, paired with Jamel Dean’s continued struggles to remain wholesome left the staff turning to Josh Hayes and Tyrek Funderburk to start out at exterior nook final 12 months. The outcomes have been lower than stellar.
It stays to be seen whether or not the Bucs will look to launch or commerce Dean. They don’t essentially want the cap room they’d save by letting him go and the money owed for 2025 is an inexpensive $13 million. When he’s on the sector he is an efficient nook and shifting on solely means yet another gap to fill.
Whether or not they make the transfer or not, relaxation assured the staff will make strikes in free company to shore up the room. This free company class at nook is about to be stable on the high however will get shallow in a short time. Particularly if you begin to weed out the gamers who don’t meet the bodily thresholds head coach Todd Bowles appears to be like for in his perimeter corners.
Enter Nate Hobbs.
Nate Hobbs Could Be A Bucs Match
CB Nate Hobbs -Picture by: USA As we speak
Let’s begin with the fundamentals. Bowles appears to be like for corners who’re six ft or taller with 30.5-inch arms or longer. Of the 14 corners who’ve performed an honest variety of snaps for Bowles since 2019, solely three have been shorter than 6 ft, Dee Delaney, Hayes, and Funderburk. And solely three had sub-30.5″ arms, Derrek Pitts, Funderburk and Ross Cockrell. All of these gamers have been introduced in to play both nickel or security roles initially and have been pushed to exterior roles attributable to accidents, or in Hayes’ case, struggles within the slot necessitated a transfer to see if they may maximize his worth elsewhere.
Hobbs checks each packing containers. Nicely, form of. His official peak is 71.375 inches so he’s only a tad underneath the peak threshold, however he makes up for it with 31.5-inch arms. What he additionally brings positional versatility to the desk. Hobbs has primarily performed within the slot over the previous two seasons however has over 700 profession snaps on the surface. That was his major place in 2022 earlier than Las Vegas pushed him inside within the following 12 months. Since then, the Raiders have used him equally to how Bowles as soon as used Sean Murphy-Bunting, having him play on the perimeter in base personnel whereas pushing him inside after they went to nickel.
Previous the high-profile names this CB FA class is missing plenty of nice suits for the Bucs. 1 that intrigues me is Nate Hobbs. Not excellent, however there’s expertise and he would assist enhance the ground of the room + give positional versatility. May transfer Tykee to S w/Hobbs within the slot. pic.twitter.com/OMhARq8XKP
Hobbs doesn’t draw back from doing the little issues that assist maintain a participant on the sector for all three downs. He’s a keen participant within the run sport, will fireplace off to explode screens behind the road of scrimmage and has a profession 25.3% strain charge with three sacks.
In protection, Hobbs offers stable protection expertise. He can carry the seam, works effectively in deep thirds the place he can pinch routes on the stem. He’s significantly adept nearer to the road of scrimmage the place he explodes to the ball and performs flats extraordinarily effectively. He additionally kinds via bunch and stack releases skillfully, hardly ever getting caught out of place by wash.
Bucs DB Tykee Smith – Picture by: USA As we speak
He isn’t excellent, his trails expertise, particularly on crossers go away rather a lot to be desired as he’s persistently a few steps behind. He may also enable greater receivers and tight ends to bully him on the high of routes as Hobbs is working backwards. And on the perimeter, he has proven a penchant for early hip flips that may be exploited on double strikes like post-corners and corner-posts.
Finally, Hobbs represents an enchancment over a number of gamers the Bucs presently have on the roster. He isn’t a super match, as he’s nonetheless finest within the slot the place the Bucs have a stable depth chart that features Tykee Smith and Christian Izien. However the very best roster building entrance workplaces look previous the apparent to see what will be. An addition like Hobbs may assist the Bucs enhance at security by kicking Smith up high. It might additionally give Tampa Bay somebody they really feel extra snug on the surface ought to Dean or Zyon McCollum need to miss time. Total, it’s including a superb soccer participant to a roster that wants precisely that.
For his profession, Hobbs has performed in 51 video games, beginning 38 of them. He has 281 tackles, 14 for a loss, 3.0 sacks, three interceptions, three compelled fumbles and one fumble restoration.
