Is Christian Izien Being Forgotten About In Bucs DB Picture?

One of the most pleasant surprises on the Bucs last year was the play of undrafted defensive back Christian Izien. Right away, Izien stood out in camp and was entrusted to be the team’s starting nickelback, a role he held all season. It was one that he filled admirably, but rather quickly, it seems that he is being left out of the picture heading into 2024.

With Jordan Whitehead and Tavierre Thomas signing as free agents and Tykee Smith being drafted in the third round, it has made Izien’s path to playing time a lot murkier.

What is his most realistic path to seeing the field, and will he be the team’s most versatile defensive back this season?

Tykee Smith Is Christian Izien’s Main Competition In Bucs’ Secondary

It is fair to say that Christian Izien played above expectations in 2023. With the Bucs lacking a true nickelback with star safety Antoine Winfield Jr. moving back to free safety, it was a big hole entering last season’s training camp.

Bucs NCB Christian Izien – Photo by: USA Today

Izien was the one that stood out and claimed the starting spot in the slot, and playing in all 17 games last season, the Rutgers alum was an under-the-radar contributor. He recorded 65 total tackles, two interceptions, and a forced fumble while showing that he was not fazed by being thrown into the fire right away.

He could not have gotten off to a better start in his NFL career, with both of those interceptions coming in the first two games of last season, including his first in Week 1 where he snatched the ball out of K.J. Osborn’s hands at the goalline on a crucial play before halftime.

At times midseason, Izien hit the proverbial rookie wall, but he still held down a difficult position and played at least 35% of the team’s defensive snaps each week throughout the season. At the end of the year, he spoke about just how hard it was to man the spot.

“I don’t think people in the real world understand how complicated and difficult it is to play slot corner,” Izien said then. “There’s so much space to cover and I believe I have the hardest job on the defense. I understand that and I work on my craft because I know how valuable my position is.”

For someone who has the X handle of “@chriscrafty_,” it’s fair to say that his focus now is on crafting a role on the Bucs’ defense in 2024, but where?

Bucs DB Tykee Smith – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Looking at the depth chart, it will be a battle between Izien and rookie Tykee Smith for the nickelback spot. Tampa Bay is very high on Smith’s abilities, and with both starting safety spots locked down, a way to get him on the field is in the slot, where his 4.46 speed and 5-foot-10, 205-pound frame give him the range and physicality to provide high-end production.

Playing for Georgia last season, he did just that, recording 70 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, six pass deflections, a team-high four interceptions, and two sacks across 14 games.

Safeties coach Nick Rapone said earlier this offseason that the plan is to cross-train Smith at nickel and safety, but it makes most sense from a personnel standpoint to plug-and-play him most as the slot corner.

That would eat into Izien’s snaps and where he saw by far the most playing time last season:

603 snaps in the slot

54 snaps in the box

30 snaps at cornerback

7 snaps at free safety

If Not In The Slot, How Will Christian Izien Factor In Bucs’ Defense?

Back in February, Christian Izien’s offseason goals were to continue evolving as a playmaker and become the best slot corner in the game, but now he has competition to prove his worth.

Bucs DBs Ryan Neal and Christian Izien – Photo by: USA Today

If Izien is not playing in the slot, it will be a fight for playing time receiving snaps at safety or cornerback, and that may not happen unless there is an injury in the secondary, or as Nick Rapone often says, “if somebody breaks a fingernail.”

While he is too undersized to regularly play as an outside corner at just 5-foot-8, he possesses 4.41 speed and a 41 1/2-inch vertical to down cornerback duties in a pinch, and his tackling and peskiness off the line of scrimmage are traits that would play up.

One other creative idea to get him on the field is in the box and making the occasional cameo at inside linebacker. In a world where Antoine Winfield Jr., Jordan Whitehead, Tykee Smith, Jamel Dean, and Zyon McCollum are all on the field, plugging in Izien next to Lavonte David on passing downs to get him involved as well is an intriguing idea.

He graded out highest by Pro Football Focus last season in run defense (80.3), and Todd Bowles utilized Ryan Neal for a game at inside linebacker last season, where he played some of his best football filling in against the Panthers.

Regardless of how things shake out, Christian Izien will have a role on the Bucs’ defense in 2024.

It is a testament to his versatility that he could line up at nickel, both safety spots, cornerback, or even in the box as a linebacker. The next month will be crucial in determining just how he carves out a role and sees the field, but he is one player who is focused on not being lost in the shuffle.