When the Buccaneers drafted cornerbacks Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish on Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft, then extended Zyon McCollum on a three-year deal, the writing was on the wall for Jamel Dean’s future in Tampa Bay.
The team appeared ready to move on from Dean sooner rather than later, but he remained under contract through 2026 on the four-year, $52 million deal he signed before the 2023 season.
Dean has been a serviceable cornerback when healthy, but injuries have been a recurring storyline throughout his Buccaneers tenure.
Most notably, he exited playoff games in back-to-back years — against the Lions in 2023 and the Commanders in 2024, both close losses for Tampa Bay.