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Keeping Vernon Hargreaves III outside is going to require bringing in someone to play inside."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections 2016 NFL DraftInjuriesFree AgencyGame FilmBringing Hamp Cheevers Home Could Solve Tampa Bay’s Slot ProblemNew Gerald McCoy Jersey ,3commentsKeeping Vernon Hargreaves III outside is going to require bringing in someone to play inside.EDTShareTweetShareShareBringing Hamp Cheevers Home Could Solve Tampa Bay’s Slot ProblemTrevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY SportsHamp Cheevers isn’t from Tampa, but if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were to draft him, he’d be much closer to home than he was while playing collegiately at Boston College. Returning to his home state of Florida would be a nice backstory, but more importantly, it could give the team the slot defender they’re in need of.Speaking with the media following the first day of organized team activities (OTAs), Vernon Hargreaves III made it clear his goal is to play on the outside for the Bucs this coming season. And it appears from what we know now, Todd Bowles and Bruce Arians are more than willing to give it a go.This may have initially disappointed or surprised some fans of the franchise. After all, in his three seasons in the NFL, Hargreaves looked much better once he moved inside than he did on the outside. The former Florida Gators standout addressed this as well, simply explaining he’s a press corner, and will get to play in press coverage under Bowles. Problem solved. Carlton Davis III and Hargreaves will man the outside. But what about the inside?For this team, there is no clear-cut guy we can pencil in to defend the slot. Maybe the team gets creative and drafts or signs another bigger corner who likes to play physical so they can shift Hargreaves inside on occasion. Or, perhaps, the team will target a ball-hawking defensive back who shows clear potential as an NFL slot defender. This is where guys like Cheevers come in to play for teams like the Buccaneers. Cheevers defended outside for Boston College in his two years of consistent play. He did pretty well too.In his first season on the field Cheevers played in five games and picked off two passes while breaking up another three. In year two, as a Junior, he took away seven more and defended seven more. His seven interceptions in 2018 ranked him tied for the most in the ACC and all of NCAA football. So Lavonte David Jersey , you could say he’s got ball skills.Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY SportsThen why is he projected as a slot corner? At 5’9 (according to his NFL.com draft profile; 5’10 according to Boston College) weighing in under 180 pounds, Cheevers simply doesn’t possess the size NFL teams look for when drafting cornerbacks to play outside against receivers like Julio Jones and Michael Thomas.Flip through the history books of pro football legend though, and you’ll find guys who were ‘too small’ or ‘too short’ for (insert position) and they turned those measurements on their head. Maybe Cheevers can do the same. In 2019 though, his slot projection is what’s going to get him on the field.As a slot defender, he’s got the size and more importantly he’s got the feet and body control.See, anything can happen inside. So defenses look for guys who have good hips, change of direction, instincts and ball skills. Oh, an aggressive streak doesn’t hurt either. Cheevers doesn’t have the widest wingspan, but he makes up for it with his ability to close on passes and keen awareness of what a quarterback is about to do.Across the board, his flaws are all tied to his size. Tackling is identified as an issue, but he’s been credited with six tackles in four different games. He also forced two fumbles and recovered one. At the end of the day you want defensive backs who can stop the pass and get takeaways. We’ve already talked about Cheevers’ ball skills, now let’s talk coverage skills.According to Pro Football Focus’ draft guide, Cheevers faced 74 targets in 2018 and allowed 34 receptions, which is a completions against percentage of right around 46%. The average yards per reception allowed was 12.7, and opposing passer ratings came in at just 38.7. Comparatively Vita Vea Jersey , fellow ACC defensive back Trayvon Mullen allowed a 61 opposing passing rating while facing fewer targets and surrendering more than 50% completions. He also came away with just one interception. Mullen is a day two prospect, while Cheevers is considered a day three prospect. Of course, Mullen is also 6’1 and weighs close to 200 pounds.In 2018, Buccaneers fans cried out week after week watching a soft defensive scheme force defenders into soft coverages and simplistic pass rush packages. Now, in 2019 the team is expected to take a far different approach to defense.Aggression is the name of the game, and getting aggressive players is just one factor to making it successful.Davis and Hargreaves are two guys who like to play physical brands of pass coverage on the perimeter and thrive in press coverage. If drafted, Cheevers is a prospect Tampa Bay could bring in who knows how to use his athletic strengths to his advantage instead of dwelling on his lack of size. His aggression comes out in his coverage and in his ability to get turnovers.Preparing for his opportunity in the NFL, Cheevers has trained with Yo Murphy at the Applied Science & Performance Institute in Tampa. With any luck, he’ll be able to stick around for a little while and try to turn that training in Tampa into a professional home, right back in the state where it all started. EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ quarterback merry-go-round may be in motion again.After starting Ryan Fitzpatrick for the first four games, switching to Jameis Winston for the next three and going back to Fitzpatrick for the last three, coach Dirk Koetter is at a crossroads again after the Bucs dropped a 38-35 decision to the New York Giants on Sunday.Fitzpatrick started the game and was lifted in the third quarter after throwing three interceptions that helped the Giants take a 24-7 lead.Winston, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft, came in and led the Bucs on four touchdown drives, getting them within three points twice only to throw a late interception to B.W. Webb on a desperation pass in the final 30 seconds.Koetter refused to say who would start Sunday at home against the San Francisco 49ers. He had weighed going back to Winston this week.“It was close Carlton Davis Jersey ,” Koetter said. “I told you all along, his day was going to come back. That’s water under the bridge right now.”Asked whether he was second-guessing himself, the coach didn’t hesitate.“No. You can second-guess every play out there,” he said.Winston was outstanding. He completed 12 of 16 passes for 199 yards, and his only turnover was the last pass.“It was pretty obvious he came in and lit it up,” Koetter said, adding he probably would decide on a starter Monday.The path to Winston seems clear at this point.“I’m not worried about that,” Winston said of the prospect of starting the final six games. “I’m worried about finding a way to win. I don’t have that much control over that but my play can speak. That’s the only thing I can control. I’m going to try to do my best if I get the opportunity to execute.”Fitzpatrick was 13 of 21 for 167 yards when he was lifted. He scored a second-quarter touchdown on a fourth-down 1-yard run off what seemed to be a broken play, and he had an opening drive stopped at the Giants’ 5 on a failed fourth-down quarterback sneak.The turnovers did him in. He was intercepted by defensive back Michael Thomas at the Giants’ 13 on the next to last play of the first half. He saw linebacker Alec Ogletree return an interception 15 yards for a touchdown early in the third quarter and then had safety Curtis Riley intercept a rainbow toss into the end zone with 9:42 left in the quarter.He pretty much knew he was done by that point.“After the third one in the end zone there I thought that would probably be the decision,” Fitzpatrick said. “I was proud of the way that Jameis went in there and played. It’s not easy to do. It’s not easy to not have any preparation and be working with the scout team and get thrown in there during the middle of the game, so I was proud of the way that he played.”Fitzpatrick said he doesn’t know what will happen next. He is certain the turnovers have to stop.“It’s something we stress every week,” Fitzpatrick said. “You can’t win in this league turning the ball over, so it’s something you harp on and you try to correct it every week and unfortunately I did it three times today.”