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Buccaneers Sign Former AFC Starter to Boost Secondary
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- Buccaneers Sign Former AFC Starter to Boost Secondary
The Seahawks brought former Dolphins' safety Ifeatu Melifonwu to town for a workout Getty
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers already have injury issues in their secondary, but they're not standing on ceremony, waiting for things to clear up.
"Former Dolphins safety Ifeatu Melifonwu agreed to a one-year deal with the Bucs," ESPN's Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account on Wednesday.
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Melifonwu played for the Miami Dolphins in 2025 on a 1-year, $3.03 million contract, appearing in 16 games with 8 starts. He also has a connection to Tampa that made them an appealing next team for him.
"Melifonwu has a home here in the Tampa area, adds depth to their secondary amid short-term injuries," Fox Sports NFL reporter Greg Auman wrote on his official X account on Wednesday. "New Bucs safety Ifeatu Melifonwu is 27, started eight games and had 53 tackles with the Dolphins last year. Former Lions third-round pick has 125 career tackles, 5.5 sacks, three INTs, can compete for backup job in training camp. Played 104 snaps on special teams last year too."
Melifonwu was a 3rd-round pick by the Detroit Lions in the 2021 NFL Draft and played his 1st 4 seasons in Detroit.
Bucs' Secondary Called Roster's 'Biggest Weakness'
The Buccaneers went 8-9 in 2025 and missed the playoffs for the 1st time since 2019 thanks, in large part, to a listless defense.
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Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox singled out cornerback as the "Biggest Weakness" for the Buccaneers in 2026
"To be fair, cornerbacks Jacob Parrish and Benjamin Morrison both showed a lot of promise as rookies last season," Knox wrote on July 27. "However, Tampa still ranked 26th in net yards per pass attempt allowed, and the offseason departure of Jamel Deal leaves questions about the Bucs' cornerback group. Parrish was mostly reliable last season, but Morrison was in and out of the lineup and allowed an opposing passer rating of 112.2 in coverage. Fellow projected starter Zyon McCollum allowed an opposing passer rating of 100.9 in coverage."
Morrison is already sidelined to start training camp as he deals with recurring injury issues.
"Bucs CB Benjamin Morrison is dressed for practice and has his helmet, he's just been very limited so far in terms of participation," Pewter Report wrote on its official X account on Wednesday.
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With the added burden of a trade request from 2-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Vita Vea on the eve of training camp, things might not be great for the Buccaneers on that side of the ball in 2026.
NFL All-Pro Struggles to Live Up to Contract
Bucs safety Antoine Winfield Jr. has struggled to live up to the expectations of the massive, 4-year, $84.1 million contract extension he signed before the 2024 season and hasn't come close to the level of production that made him an NFL All-Pro in 2023.
Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon even put Winfield on his list of the NFL's "Most Overpaid Players" headed into 2025.
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"Winfield broke the bank last year after intercepting six passes to earn first-team All-Pro honors in 2023, but he was far less productive and efficient when healthy in 2024 and injuries have become a legitimate concern," Gagnon wrote on September 1. "The 27-year-old has now missed 16 games the last four years and has been dealing with hamstring issues this summer. Winfield is five years into his career now, and he's only had one great season. He's off to a rough start in Year 6, and he's scheduled to earn more than $55 million in 2026 and 2027 combined. "
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