The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have found a promising young defensive back in Ayden Garnes, who made his presence felt in his NFL preseason debut. Garnes had a few ups and downs during his first preseason appearance, but one big play helped make his overall performance stand out. The cornerback allowed a 26-yard reception against the New York Jets, but that was the only catch he surrendered across 17 coverage snaps.
More sports: Cowboys Rookie Already Making an Impact on Team That meant Garnes was otherwise able to keep the Jets from making much of an impact when throwing his way. For an undrafted rookie getting his first time in an NFL game, limiting the damage after giving up one sizable reception was a positive part of his performance. Then came the play that really changed the game for Garnes.
The rookie intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown, giving the Buccaneers a major defensive play while putting himself in the spotlight. A pick-six is the kind of moment that can immediately get a young player's name out there during the preseason. Garnes did have some areas to clean up.
He missed two tackles during the game, something that will need to improve as he continues getting playing time. His strong overall grade was also driven largely by the interception return for a touchdown. Still, Garnes finished his preseason debut with a 91.8 PFF grade, a solid mark that reflected the impact of his biggest play.
His performance also earned recognition from PFF's Gordon McGuinness, who included Garnes among his players to watch following the first week of preseason action. Sports news: Vikings Have 2 Rookies Absolutely Thriving in the Preseason For the Buccaneers, Garnes' debut offers a lot to like. He showed that he can compete in coverage, and he demonstrated the ability to turn an opportunity into a game-changing play.
There will be more chances for Garnes to prove himself as the preseason continues. He'll need to clean up the missed tackles and show that his coverage remains consistent, but his first NFL preseason appearance certainly gave Tampa Bay something hopeful.
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