If the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Week 3 loss to the Los Angeles Rams proved anything, it is that they need to strike a deal with cornerback Richard Sherman.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were undefeated two weeks into the 2021 campaign. They managed to sneak away with a Week 1 win over the Dallas Cowboys before taking a commanding victory over the Atlanta Falcons. But in Week 3, the defending Super Bowl champions had their toughest opponent to date in the Los Angeles Rams.
On Sunday, the Rams defeated the Buccaneers 34-24, thanks in part to a great performance by Los Angeles’ starting quarterback Matthew Stafford, who threw for 343 yards and four touchdowns (27-of-38 on pass attempts) against Tampa Bay’s secondary.
If this loss proved anything, it is that the Buccaneers need cornerback Richard Sherman now more than ever.
Buccaneers need to prioritize signing Richard Sherman
Tampa Bay’s cornerback depth chart took hits throughout the year. In the season-opener, Sean Murphy-Bunting suffered a dislocated elbow and was placed on the injured reserve. Then in Los Angeles on Sunday, Jamel Dean left the game after picking up a knee injury. That spelled doom for Tampa Bay, as they had to try and defend the likes of Cooper Kupp, DeSean Jackson, Robert Woods and Van Jefferson throughout the day. That is not an easy assignment.
After sitting on the open market since the start of the new league year, Sherman has received some calls from teams as of late, one of them reportedly being the Buccaneers. According to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, the Bucs contacted Sherman after Murphy-Bunting suffered his elbow injury. However, the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers have also expressed interest in potentially signing Sherman this season.
The Rams have lived up to their offseason expectations as a team that could take down the Buccaneers in the playoffs. They already made their statement to the defending champions in Week 3. This should serve as a wake up call for the Buccaneers, as their pass defense needs to be addressed and improved upon if they want to make it to Super Bowl 56.
Signing Sherman should be Tampa Bay’s solution to their secondary woes.