Jamel Dean is expected to miss time with the hamstring injury he suffered against the New Orleans Saints last week. It’s likely going to be multiple weeks, but at the very least it will be this Monday against the Baltimore Ravens. After Dean went down, it was undrafted rookie Tyrek Funderburk that came in as relief for the starting corner and you should expect to see even more of him moving forward - or at least until Dean returns.
So who is Tyrek Funderburk and how did he wind up where he is now?
Funderburk started off his collegiate career with the Richmond Spiders, a school better known for basketball than football, but then transferred to Appalachian State in 2023. In his one season with App State, Funderburk finished with four interceptions - two returned for touchdowns - three tackles for loss, 46 total tackles, eight passes defensed, and one forced fumble.
Through the draft process, Funderburk was dubbed a late round player that would be a backup or special teams contributor with criticisms like his tendency to focus on guarding the face of a player instead of tracking the ball. He was not invited to the Scouting Combine, but did well at his Pro Day with a 4.4 40-yard dash and a 34.5-inch vertical.
While he wasn’t drafted, Funderburk was a high priority free agent that the Bucs were able to get and that was paying dividends early on until a foot injury caused him to be sidelined, putting his NFL future - at least with the Buccaneers - at risk. Fortunately for him, the Bucs felt like he had already shown enough to earn a spot on a defensive back heavy 53-man roster.
Bowles was honest about Funderburk, saying:
"With Funderburk, we saw him in the spring and summer and early on when he came in and he is a good football player. Right away, we knew he had a damn good chance of making this team."
After seeing zero snaps on defense all season, Funderburk was thrust into the lineup with Dean out and he played strong - finishing with four tackles and a forced fumble. Now with a full week of preparation with the ones, Funderburk has the opportunity to go up against the Ravens’ offense and show that despite his undrafted status, he belongs on the field each and every game.
Bucs (4-2) vs Ravens (4-2) Game Information
When: Monday, October 21st 2024
Where: Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, FL)
Kickoff: 8:15 p.m. ET
TV: ABC/ESPN/ESPN2 - Joe Buck (Play-by-Play), Troy Aikman (Color Commentary), Laura Rutledge (Sideline)
ESPN 2 ManningCast - Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Bill Belichick, Guests TBA
Bucs Radio: 98Rock – Gene Deckerhoff (Play by Play), Dave Moore (Color), T.J. Rives (Reporter)
Spanish Radio: 96.1 Caliente – Carlos Bohorquez (Play by Play), Martín Gramática (Analyst), Santiago Gramatica (Sideline Reporter)
Jamel Dean is expected to miss time with the hamstring injury he suffered against the New Orleans Saints last week. It’s likely going to be multiple weeks, but at the very least it will be this Monday against the Baltimore Ravens. After Dean went down, it was undrafted rookie Tyrek Funderburk that came in as relief for the starting corner and you should expect to see even more of him moving forward - or at least until Dean returns.
So who is Tyrek Funderburk and how did he wind up where he is now?
Funderburk started off his collegiate career with the Richmond Spiders, a school better known for basketball than football, but then transferred to Appalachian State in 2023. In his one season with App State, Funderburk finished with four interceptions - two returned for touchdowns - three tackles for loss, 46 total tackles, eight passes defensed, and one forced fumble.
Through the draft process, Funderburk was dubbed a late round player that would be a backup or special teams contributor with criticisms like his tendency to focus on guarding the face of a player instead of tracking the ball. He was not invited to the Scouting Combine, but did well at his Pro Day with a 4.4 40-yard dash and a 34.5-inch vertical.
While he wasn’t drafted, Funderburk was a high priority free agent that the Bucs were able to get and that was paying dividends early on until a foot injury caused him to be sidelined, putting his NFL future - at least with the Buccaneers - at risk. Fortunately for him, the Bucs felt like he had already shown enough to earn a spot on a defensive back heavy 53-man roster.
Bowles was honest about Funderburk, saying:
"With Funderburk, we saw him in the spring and summer and early on when he came in and he is a good football player. Right away, we knew he had a damn good chance of making this team."
After seeing zero snaps on defense all season, Funderburk was thrust into the lineup with Dean out and he played strong - finishing with four tackles and a forced fumble. Now with a full week of preparation with the ones, Funderburk has the opportunity to go up against the Ravens’ offense and show that despite his undrafted status, he belongs on the field each and every game.
Bucs (4-2) vs Ravens (4-2) Game Information
When: Monday, October 21st 2024
Where: Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, FL)
Kickoff: 8:15 p.m. ET
TV: ABC/ESPN/ESPN2 - Joe Buck (Play-by-Play), Troy Aikman (Color Commentary), Laura Rutledge (Sideline)
ESPN 2 ManningCast - Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Bill Belichick, Guests TBA
Bucs Radio: 98Rock – Gene Deckerhoff (Play by Play), Dave Moore (Color), T.J. Rives (Reporter)
Spanish Radio: 96.1 Caliente – Carlos Bohorquez (Play by Play), Martín Gramática (Analyst), Santiago Gramatica (Sideline Reporter)
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