Derek Cox free agency rumors: Buccaneers interested

The Buccaneers are interested in free agent cornerbacks! Shocker! According to Tom Krasniqi of 620 WDAE, Derek Cox is one of the free agents drawing that interest. Cox, a third-round pick in the 2009 draft, has been a starter for the Jaguars for four years. He's missed 14 games due to injury over the past two seasons, which is the only real knock on his game. He's not a world-beater, but he's a solid all-around cornerback with good size who has played for some awful pass defenses in recent years. Cox has 12 interceptions and 32 passes defensed in 47 career games.

The Bucs need starting cornerbacks, and Cox while still young isn't expected to demand top dollar on the free agent market. It's not exactly clear why the Jaguars are letting him walk, though. The injury issues could be one reason, although the injuries have mostly been lingering issues rather than catastrophic breaks and tears. Cox has been a good, though not great cornerback who has struggled to stay on the field. Signing him would make sense, at the right price, with some injury insurance. It's a move with some risk, but it could easily pay off.

Here's another reason it makes sense: the Buccaneers' cornerback coach Tony Oden was the Jaguars' defensive backs coach last season. He will know everything the Bucs need to know about Cox, and his signing off on his addition to the team should carry some weight around One Buc Place. W