New Bucs corner Bryce Hall know what it’s like playing on a good defense. He came from the New York Jets, who had arguably the best defense in the league and certainly were not losing because of that side the ball.

Now Hall comes to play for another good defense – a group that has won a Super Bowl with Todd Bowles calling the plays. While each defense has been successful they have gone about it in completely different ways.

The Jets defense that Hall is leaving and the Bucs defense Hall is coming to could not be more different. It starts with their philosophies on running a defense.

The Jets hardly blitz and often rush four defenders while dropping seven in coverage, relying on their defensive front to generate pressure. They were fifth best defense in the league last year while doing so. The Bucs, on the other hand, constantly blitz the quarterback, five and sometimes six rushers at the quarterback. Tampa Bay was second best in the league in pressure with six or more defenders last year. It’s come to the point where it’s a surprise when Bowles isn’t sending an extra rusher at the QB.

Bryce Hall Compares The Bucs, Jets Defenses

The beauty in all of this is that both systems have found success. They just ask their players, and in this case Bryce Hall, to do different things. Hall’s role in New York will look slightly different than what Bowles will ask him to do in Tampa Bay.

Bucs CB Bryce Hall – Photo courtesy of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

“It’s two different philosophies,” Bryce Hall said. “It’s interesting coming from one side where we did every play was four or five coverages and that was it. And this time it’s like we got a whole bunch of different things that we’re doing. I wouldn’t say that it’s better or worse. I would say here it’s cool because there’s so many different opportunities to make plays, create confusion on the quarterback and have an opportunity to get your hands on some footballs. And also you see he’s (Bowles) been coaching this defense for years. They won a Super Bowl, so you know this defense has the ability to be very, very good.

“It’s just cool for me coming in and just getting a different experience in something a little bit different. Then I get to play, do different things, so I’m grateful to be a part of this defense, it’s cool for me. It’s just different philosophies, different styles, but it doesn’t mean both can’t be good. You see in New York they’ve been doing really good stuff for years, they’ve been on that caliber level for a long time. For me, it’s just fun, it’s cool, I get to learn something different, it keeps it fresh for me.”

Forming A Quick Chemistry With Zyon McCollum, But Also Competing

Outside of safety Jordan Whitehead, who played the last two years with the Jets before re-signing with the Bucs this offseason, Bryce Hall is coming to a new team where he doesn’t really know anybody else. Every year there is always the need to build chemistry to comprise a cohesive unit, but luckily it’s come as second nature to him since arriving in Tampa.

Bucs CB Bryce Hall – Photo by: USA Today

“That was the first thing when I set foot in the building is it was like family,” Bryce Hall said. “Everybody was super-close, everybody was just super-friendly. I just felt like it was family right away. Everybody jokes around with each other, it’s like you got brothers in the locker room, it’s like being at home. I got five older brothers so it feels like I’m another brother when I came in here, so I thought that was special.”

And as it goes with every NFL team, players are forming relationships with each other but also competing against one another to win a starting job. It’s one of those situations that many people go through in their profession. Bryce Hall spoke about his communication with Zyon McCollum, whom he’ll be competing for the starting corner job with. The competition is certainly not as fierce as one may think.

“That’s my guy,” Bryce Hall said. “He’s such a great dude. Just watching him, I’m learning a lot from him. Just how he’s built, how explosive, fast, athletic, he does a lot of really good things. Then off the field he’s super-friendly, super-cool, that’s how it is with everybody here I feel like.

“Even though there’s a spot for me personally, I feel like I’m my biggest competitor, I can’t control what anybody else does or anything like that. Just how I come to work every day, the energy I carry, as we did good individually that’s going to make the team. better. So it’s nothing but love, that’s my guy, we’ve got a really good relationship, so I appreciate just coming in and working with him and stuff like that.”