When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers spent a fifth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft on Sam Houston State cornerback Zyon McCollum, they knew they were getting an elite athlete with unlimited potential.
They also hoped they were getting an eventual starter who could turn those impressive physical traits into a reliable presence at a premium position.
After showing some promise in limited work (12 starts) over his first two seasons, McCollum had a breakout campaign in 2024, starting all 17 games for the Bucs and breaking up 17 passes while picking off two more. That inspired Tampa Bay to reward McCollum with a new three-year contract extension worth up to $48 million.
But McCollum failed to live up to that pay grade in 2025, struggling with consistency and missing four games. When he was on the field, McCollum allowed an opponent passer rating of just over 100, giving up a career-high six touchdown receptions. He earned a season grade of 63.9 from Pro Football Focus, ranking him 52nd out of 114 cornerbacks graded throughout the league.
Contrast that level of performance with the fact that McCollum's annual average of $16 million per year on that new deal puts him in the No. 21 spot on the NFL's list of highest-paid cornerbacks, and it's obvious that Tampa Bay didn't exactly get enough bang for their buck on this deal.
The Bucs still have faith in McCollum, as evidenced by their willingness to let Jamel Dean leave in free agency this offseason. But they're taking a huge risk at such a vital position, especially given that 2025 second-round pick Benjamin Morrison still hasn't proven that he can stay healthy enough to hold down the other outside corner spot.
Hopefully, McCollum is able to bounce back from last year's disappointing performance, and reward the Bucs for making the long-term investment in him before his rookie contract expired. The talent and potential are still through the roof (McCollum achieved a perfect 10.00 Relative Athletic Score during the 2022 predraft process). He's still just 27 years old, so this is exactly when you'd expect a player to hit his prime and play his best football.
But this season is technically the first year of that new deal, so the Bucs need McCollum to raise his level of play to meet the raise they gave him, especially given their lack of quality depth behind him at the position. If he can't be closer to that player Tampa Bay fans saw back in 2024, the Bucs will be on the hook for a decent chunk of money while still chasing a No. 1 corner they can trust to handle every opponent's top pass-catcher.
