Bucs' Johnthan Banks taking his chance to thrive in Jenkins' absence
TAMPA, Fla. -- Throughout the past five months, Johnthan Banks has evolved from someone with little guarantee he would start again soon into a standout of an improved Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense. He has gained trust along the way, becoming a rare success story on a roster riddled with disappointments.
None of it may have happened without a misread in free agency. The development has stretched Banks, hinted at his high ceiling and made the Bucs better in the long run.
Back in March, Lovie Smith and Jason Licht signed seven-year veteran Mike Jenkins to be a building block of the pair's plans. Jenkins was a Pro Bowl cornerback with the Dallas Cowboys after the 2009 season, and he was expected to start opposite Alterraun Verner. Banks started all 16 games as a rookie in 2013, but the move to sign Jenkins revealed that the new regime wasn't sold on Banks' ability to be the top answer at the position.
Banks can look back on those uncertain hours and smile, as he was doing Wednesday morning in a crowded Bucs locker room, his doubt replaced by a rising personal stock. Jenkins fizzled fast and was placed on injured reserve with a pectoral injury Sept. 10, after just one tackle in a loss against the Carolina Panthers in Week 1.
Banks, meanwhile, has made the early uncertainty forgettable. He leads the Bucs with four interceptions. He returned one 19 yards for a touchdown against the Washington Redskins in Week 11. He should have had another touchdown after intercepting Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton early in the first quarter last Sunday.
It's hard to consider Banks' momentum without recalling how far he has come to prove himself to Smith and Licht. Nothing was given to him. Nothing was guaranteed.
So he rolled up his sleeves and took what he could.
"It really did push me a lot," Banks said of his competition with Jenkins in training camp. "I didn't know what type of player they thought I was. I didn't ask them questions. I just came and worked. I didn't care what happened. I didn't care if they kept me or let me go. I just came in here to get better everyday. It worked out for me."
Banks was far from stunned about his standing after Jenkins' arrival. The Mississippi State product made 55 tackles and cradled three interceptions as a rookie, often with a large target playing opposite Darrelle Revis, but he understands the NFL's politics. He was a pick of the Bucs' old guard, taken in the second round at 43rd overall. Smith and Licht owed him nothing.
Regime changes can mean role adjustments, in football and throughout the business world. To little surprise, Smith and Licht considered Jenkins a likely upgrade, the veteran's addition a way to place their fingerprints on a restructured defense. They looked right at the time.
But now, they should be thankful that Banks was given a larger chance to grow.
"Coaches didn't draft me," Banks said. "I know it's a business. I just have to go out and perform. Mike, he had been in the league seven years. I could have sat back and learned. I would have got my playing time. But it worked out for me to be in the starting lineup. So it's just a blessing that I'm in this role. Coach stuck with me."
It's impossible to know how Jenkins would have fared this season. But in his absence, Banks has grown into a formidable threat within a secondary that has shown steady improvement in the past six games. It's no coincidence that Banks has made three interceptions in that window.
He should only ascend from here. Consider the Bucs' 2013 draft class, and Banks has emerged as the most promising.
Mike Glennon has 18 starts throughout the past two seasons, but he failed to make the top quarterback job his own after Josh McCown's right thumb injury. Defensive tackle Akeem Spence started 14 times last season, but he was demoted to a reserve position this year. William Gholston has made a minimal impact at defensive end with three sacks in 23 games. Defensive end Steven Means was waived Sept. 9. Mike James has just 19 carries for 37 yards this season while working behind Doug Martin, Charles Sims and Bobby Rainey.
What makes Banks' rise impressive is that the odds were never placed in his favor before Jenkins' injury. He broke through boundaries built for him to take a lesser role, and a worse player would have made little impact with the same opening.
Banks said he would have been fine to sit back and learn behind Jenkins. But because opportunity presented itself in a way no one expected before training camp, he has made strides that should pay dividends for Tampa Bay the rest of this season and beyond.
That's a comment on his focus and character. That's a testament to all he has overcome in the NFL to this point, from the strain experienced by playing opposite Revis to the one game missed because of MRSA last season to the ability to overcome early career nerves and make himself a promising piece of the Bucs' future.
"My overall game is just better," Banks said. "Everything just slowed down for me. Last year, I was always kind of nervous just trying to get the feel of the game. Now, I feel like I belong. Everything slowed down. I know that I can do it. And I just have to go out and do it."
He has done the job this fall. Consider the age difference between Banks and Jenkins -- Banks is 25 and Jenkins is 29 -- and the implications of Banks' progress are clear. He should have more potential for the Bucs to mold in the coming years, his larger-than-expected role this season serving to fast track his development.
How are all his tackles, all his interceptions and his eight passes defensed a bad thing in any way? In hindsight, how would the Bucs have been better off with Banks playing less?
"I really think competition brings out the best," Smith said. "I know that's coach talk. But it does keep you at the top of your game throughout.
"Johnthan Banks was motivated just by being the best player he can be. We've seen a lot of improvement from him."
Competition helped in Banks' case, yes, but a free agency misread led to the best possible outcome. Banks has made the most of his time as a starter again, proving that the future can come earlier than expected if given the chance to thrive.
You can follow Andrew Astleford on Twitter @aastleford or email him at aastleford@gmail.com.
