By Moses Joshua 
Kindle Vildor faces uphill battle in crowded Buccaneers secondary
From Starter in Detroit to Roster Bubble in Tampa
Kindle Vildor’s journey from a key contributor in Detroit to a potential cut candidate in Tampa Bay underscores how quickly the NFL landscape can shift. After logging meaningful snaps for the Lions during their injury-riddled 2024 campaign, Vildor seemed to parlay that opportunity into a fresh start with the Buccaneers. But despite inking a one-year deal in the offseason, the veteran cornerback’s spot on Tampa Bay’s roster is far from secure.
Detroit’s defensive collapse late last season didn’t lead to a full-blown overhaul, but it did spark changes. While the Lions opted to retain much of their defensive core, they parted ways with several key contributors — including Vildor. In a move to rebuild their secondary depth, Detroit replaced Carlton Davis with former Jets corner D.J. Reed and allowed veterans like Za’Darius Smith, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Emmanuel Moseley, and Ben Niemann to test free agency.
For Vildor, Tampa appeared to offer a new opportunity. But that door might already be closing.
A Loaded Cornerback Room Leaves Little Margin for Error
The Buccaneers entered the offseason with a clear mission: improve a secondary that recorded only seven interceptions all of last year. To that end, they went heavy on youth in the draft, selecting Benjamin Morrison from Notre Dame in the second round and Jacob Parrish from Kansas State in the third. Add in returning starters Jamel Dean and Zyon McCollum, along with nickelback Tykee Smith, and the competition is intense.
That depth doesn’t bode well for Vildor.
In a recent 53-man roster projection from USA Today’s Jason Kanno, Vildor was notably absent. Instead, Kanno slotted in Dean, McCollum, Morrison, Parrish, Bryce Hall, and Josh Hayes as Tampa’s six cornerbacks — leaving no room for the former Lion. To earn his place, Vildor will need to outshine at least one of these players during mandatory minicamp and into training camp.
And that might be a tall task, especially considering his performance last season wasn’t exactly headline-grabbing.
Fight for Survival Begins Now
The reality is harsh: Vildor may not even get the chance to play a single regular-season snap for his new team.
While OTA performances aren’t the final word on a player’s fate, they often signal where they stand in the pecking order. If Vildor doesn’t flash early — showing improved coverage, versatility, and value on special teams — he could find himself searching for yet another opportunity before the preseason ends.
His story is a reminder that in today’s NFL, past experience only goes so far. In a league obsessed with youth, upside, and immediate impact, players like Vildor are always just one quiet offseason away from being on the outside looking in.
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