The Tampa Bay Buccaneers see something in cornerback Zyon McCollum the rest of the NFL hasn’t seen yet — an elite player at his position.
“Buccaneers and starting CB Zyon McCollum reached agreement today on a three-year, $48 million extension that includes $35.4 million guaranteed, per his agents Drew and Jason Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account on September 5. “McCollum is now under contract through the 2028 season.”
McCollum is set to make approximately $3.4 million in 2025 in the final season of the 4-year, $3.98 million rookie contract he signed in 2022.
The problem? The Buccaneers and general manager Jason Licht have a disturbing trend of overpaying at the cornerback position, which seems to have continued with McCollum’s new deal — which could turn out to be a $48 million mistake.
McCollum Became Full Time Starter in 2024
NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal had McCollum ranked at No. 13 on his list of the top NFL free agents in 2026 — one of 4 Buccaneers to make the list. ESPN’s Matt Bowen left McCollum off his list of the top 2026 free agents.
It was the second big extension the Buccaneers handed out in the last week following a 4-year, $90 million deal for right offensive tackle Luke Goedeke on September 3.
McCollum was a fifth round pick (N0. 157 overall) out of Sam Houston State in the 2022 NFL draft. He started 12 games over his first 2 seasons with no interceptions before becoming a full time starter in 2024, when he started all 17 games and had a (somewhat modest) breakout season with 82 tackles, 2 interceptions and a whopping 17 pass deflections.
The first half of the season McCollum seemed like one of the NFL’s elite cornerbacks — through the first 6 games he had both of his interceptions and 10 pass deflections.
He was even one of 2 Buccaneers named to the PFF Midseason NFL All-Pro Team last season alongside left offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs.
“Across 329 coverage snaps, McCollum has given up just 17 receptions for 286 yards,” wrote PFF’s Gordon McGuinness. “While he has been beaten at times, he has also shown a knack for finding the football, recording six pass breakups and two interceptions.”
Even with that, it’s not likely the market would have been so robust for McCollum this offseason that the Buccaneers couldn’t have got him for the same amount — or less – of what they just signed him for.
Bucs Have History of Overpaying at Cornerback
The Buccaneers have shown a proclivity for overpaying at cornerback in recent years.
In March 2022, they signed Carlton Davis III to a 3-year, $44.5 million contract extension only to trade him to the Detroit Lions 2 years later.
In March 2023, they signed Jamel Dean to a 4-year, $52 million contract extension only to watch his play fall off a cliff.
In his first 4 seasons before the extension, Dean won a Super Bowl and had 7 interceptions and 41 pass deflections. That included at least one interception each season and a franchise rookie record of 17 pass deflections in 2019.
The last 2 seasons since signing the extension, Dean has just one interception, 11 pass deflections and has missed 9 games due to injuries.
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