Bucs Gameday

TRADE: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Trade Starting Cornerback to Detroit Lions, Receive 3rd Round Pick

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers completed their first trade of the offseason with the Detroit Lions, sending a starting cornerback their way.

Caleb Skinner

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The 2024 NFL offseason is already off to a hot start as some of the top players are finding themselves with different homes since the free agency opened up this morning. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers did a lot of work prior to the opening of free agency, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t making moves.

After re-signing Greg Gaines and releasing WR Russell Gage, the Buccaneers’ front office completed their first trade of the offseason, sending starting cornerback Carlton Davis III to the Detroit Lions for draft compensation.

Tampa Bay will receive the Lions’ 2024 third-round draft pick in exchange for Davis III and two sixth-round picks in back-to-back years. It might seem like a hefty price to pay, but getting a second third-round pick from Detroit will help the Bucs now and long term — especially given the fact that the Lions are taking on Davis’ full salary.

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The third-round pick in this year’s draft will be the 92nd overall choice, netting the Buccaneers another perceived top-100 player.

Davis III had a rough 2022 season and was looking to bounce back in 2023. However, things were up-and-down for him all season and it didn’t seem like he was quite 100%. Prior to these last two struggle-some seasons, Carlton cemented his name as one of the premiere lock-down corners in the league.

Davis III hasn’t been in the league all that long and should still have plenty left in the tank. Hopefully for him, a fresh team and new place to call home will awaken the best out of him.

The Buccaneers are now unlikely to trade cornerback Jamel Dean, and Zyon McCollum seems like the first one up to fill the role vacated by Davis III unless the Bucs look to bring in another corner from free agency or grab one during the NFL Draft in April.

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Stick with BucsGameday for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the 2024 offseason.

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Caleb Skinner
CALEB SKINNER

Caleb is from Nashville, TN and graduated from Florida State University in 2018 with majors in Sociology and History. He has previously written for an FSU outlet and started covering the Buccaneers in March of 2022. Caleb is an avid sports fan and former host of the Tribeoholics podcast. You can follow Caleb on Twitter @chsnole