TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Looking To Make An Impact

ADVERTISEMENT

By ROY CUMMINGS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: April 30, 2008

Updated: 04/30/2008 12:14 am

TAMPA - It was only a couple of years ago that Eugene Wilson was considered one of the 15 best safeties in football. So what do the Bucs have in store for one of the newer additions to their secondary?

They're going to play him at corner.

Even after drafting Kansas cornerback Aqib Talib in the first round of this past weekend's draft, the Bucs' plan is to move Wilson to corner. It seems a little crazy, but it might not be as crazy as it seems.

Though Wilson hasn't played cornerback since he was in college, he was pretty good, getting his hands on 71 balls and intercepting 11 during a three-year run at Illinois.

Looking at it that way, maybe it was the Patriots who got a little crazy. They moved Wilson to safety, where he excelled. That's what makes you believe this is a guy who's going to make an impact no matter where he plays.

"I can't wait to see him in training camp," Bucs secondary coach Raheem Morris said of the free-agent acquisition. "I mean, I'm excited to have this guy here."

The feeling is mutual, which may surprise you a bit. Though the Bucs are a team on the rise, they are not the New England Patriots. Wilson is convinced, though, that the Bucs have a Patriots-like future ahead of them.

"Hey, they made it to the playoffs last year, they have a real good defense and the offense is doing well," he said. "There's also the fact that I really like Coach Jon Gruden.

"He actually called me personally a couple of times during the free agent process, and I liked that. I just really felt comfortable being here, and I hope I can come in and contribute."

If he can get comfortable at cornerback again, he could contribute plenty. Playmaking has never been an issue for Wilson, who has averaged an interception every six games he has played in the NFL.

He's strong against the run, too, having made 251 career tackles. That's why the Bucs believe he can give them what they lost when former starting left cornerback Brian Kelly left for Detroit last month as a free agent.

For now, the plan is to work Wilson at right cornerback, behind Ronde Barber, while Phillip Buchanon, Sammie Davis and Talib fight for playing time on the left side.

What that means is that Wilson likely will man the right corner spot when Barber moves to the slot on passing downs. That may keep him out of the starting lineup, but Wilson will see plenty of action.

"They have a very good scheme here, one of the best defenses in the league," he said. "I'm just looking forward to coming in here and helping them out as much as I can."

There's little doubt that Wilson will help the Bucs. His ability to defend receivers in man-to-man schemes and to cover zones remains exceptional. He's also learned the art of patience.

He's not the risk-taker he was when he first came into the NFL. He leans on his physical attributes and skills more than instinct now, and as a result, he is always around the ball.

The only thing he lacks physically is great size. But even at 5-foot-10 and 195 pounds, he finds a way to keep receivers from becoming obvious targets for their quarterbacks.

And while playing corner again will require him to make some adjustments, it's not something that either he or Morris see as a problem. With more than two months to go before training camp begins, he has time to adjust.

"It's going take a little time to get my corner feet back under me," Wilson said, "but I'm looking forward to doing good things here."

Reporter Roy Cummings can be reached at (813) 259-7979 or rcummings@tampatrib.com

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT