Pictures of the Buccaneers' cornerbacks.
Brent Grimes
Brent Grimes
Brent Grimes
Vernon Hargreaves
Vernon Hargreaves
Vernon Hargreaves
Javien Elliott
Javien Elliott
Javien Elliott
Josh Robinson
Josh Robinson
Josh Robinson
Ryan Smith
Ryan Smith
Ryan Smith
Maurice Fleming
Maurice Fleming
Cody Riggs
Cody Riggs
Robert McClain
Robert McClain
Robert McClain
Jude Adjei-Barimah
Jude Adjei-Barimah
Jude Adjei-Barimah
Jonathan Moxey
Jonathan Moxey
Jonathan Moxey
The Buccaneers have enough cornerback depth to make the competition a tough one in training camp, but not enough to feel completely comfortable heading into the 2017 season. Specifically, it's not yet clear how the team would handle the lineup if there were injuries to Brent Grimes or Vernon Hargreaves the starters.
Second-year man Ryan Smith is moving back to corner after the team tried him at safety in his rookie season, and he may have the inside track to serve as the next man up for Grimes and Hargreaves. Veteran Josh Robinson re-signed with the Bucs in free agency but he's coming off a year in which he played exclusively (and extremely well) on special teams. Robinson has NFL starting experience from his Minnesota days.
Robert McClain, signed in May, also has NFL starting experience, as do young holdovers Jude Adjei-Barimah and Javien Elliott. However, those three players are probably going to compete for the primary nickel-back job. McClain is versatile enough to play inside or outside, and Adjei-Barimah got some action on the outside as a rookie in 2015 but Elliott might be solely a slot corner. The Bucs added Cody Riggs to the practice squad late last year and have since signed undrafted free agents Jonathan Moxey and Maurice Fleming.
Quality cornerback depth is notoriously difficult to build and maintain in the NFL. The Bucs are confident in their starters and can probably go five deep from the group on hand without too much trouble, but there is not a huge amount of experience behind Grimes.
