Throughout the first five days of Buccaneer training camp, the defense in Tampa Bay has started strong and has looked stingy. Super Bowl era Bucs stingy? Probably not. But definitely a noticeable difference from last year’s product. Three drafted defensive backs, one Suh/McCoy saga and a new defensive coordinator later, the new and improved defense for the Bucs looks enticing.
One Man Show?
In particular, the newest edition of the defensive backs drafted not too long ago. The trio of Sean Murphy-Bunting, Jamel Dean and Mike Edwards have all proved to be a problem so far in training camp, but it has been Edwards who has begun to run with his opportunity. Edwards is noticeably always in the right position and like Bruce Arians put it after a stellar two-interception performance in practice earlier this week, “That dude is a ball hawk”.
Some football players have it, some don’t. Mike Edwards so far has always seemed to be around or making a play on the ball. I wouldn’t cast off, just yet, the possibility of a starting safety tandem of Edwards and Justin Evan come Week 1.
Predictions
– 52 Total Tackles
– 3 Interceptions
– 7 Pass Deflections
– 1 Sack
Overview:
– Mike Edwards has always been associated with the “honey badger”, Tyrann Mathieu, because of his versatility and relentlessness to make plays on the ball. He has the attitude to take a stronghold of the secondary for the Bucs and beat out Jordan Whitehead for the opposite starting safety of Justin Evans. Preseason will be a good indication.
