A new coaching staff will mean new life for some Buccaneers, according to Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht. In an exclusive interview with Licht at the Senior Bowl, Licht confirmed that cornerbacks Johnthan Banks and Alterraun Verner would be back in Tampa Bay in 2016. Both cornerbacks had fallen out of favor – and the starting lineup – this past year when head coach Lovie Smith took full control of the defense.

Banks started the first three games of the season before injuring his knee. When he returned to the starting lineup, he was promptly benched near midseason before finally seeing action with the starting lineup late in the year. Banks was a two-year starter in his first two years in Tampa Bay, recording seven interceptions and 15 during that span. Banks had just 25 tackles, one pass breakup and no interceptions last year.

“I don’t want to speak in great detail for our defensive coaches but I will say this, they are excited to work with Johnthan Banks,” Licht said. “He’s a big, long guy with really great ball skills. They’re excited to implement him and use his skills in this scheme.”

Banks took to Twitter on Tuesday, January 26 to say, “Heading back to Tampa didn’t know if I would be making this trip again or not!” and “I’m so excited to get back to work!”

The Bucs secondary was an absolute mess all year under Smith’s watch as he failed to decide on a starting lineup outside of safety Chris Conte. Smith was impatient and had a quick hook due to poor performance on the field. He wound up starting six different cornerbacks and four different safeties in 2015. The secondary carousel kept churning even into Week 17, which was ridiculous.

New Bucs defensive coordinator Mike Smith saw Banks play twice a year in 2013 and ’14 and is eager to work with the 6-foot-2, 185-pound cornerback, who is entering a contract year.

“I got very excited about talking to Mike Smith after we hired him and having a nice conversation with him,” Licht said. “He believes that you can’t be really system-specific with your players, and you have to scheme around your players’ skills. You hear that a lot but it doesn’t happen a lot of times. But with him, that’s one of his core beliefs, so that’s exciting for a general manager and a scouting department to hear in terms of who we select and who we sign. If he’s a good football player then he’s a good football player.”

Licht also mentioned that Smith believes Verner deserves a second chance. Verner, who started at cornerback in 2014 after a Pro Bowl season with the Titans in 2013, was demoted to the role of nickel cornerback in 2015 by Tampa Bay’s former head coach. The key to Verner’s play turning around, according to Licht, might be a familiar face.

“Even Alterraun, Brett Maxie coached him at Tennessee when he was a Pro Bowler, so maybe he can bring the best out of him.”

Verner was thought to be a possible salary cap casualty in 2016 as his salary climbs from $4.25 million to $6.75 million, but the Bucs seem intent on giving the 27-year old cornerback this offseason and training camp to prove that he deserves a roster spot and his salary. Verner, who had 56 tackles, four pass breakups, one interception and a forced fumble last year, said he wants to remain a Buccaneer.

“Hopefully I am back,” Verner said. “We’re building something special here. Hopefully I am part of that, but we all know at the end of the day, it’s a business. The NFL is a business. And there are going to be no hard feelings at the end of the day. They want to get the roster the best they can to try to compete and get to the Super Bowl.

“I’m not putting any blame or any excuses on anything other than myself. I come in to work. I work hard, and the result didn’t happen. So I blame myself. But there’s not anything I regret with what happened, because I know I worked as hard as I could, given the things I had. And things didn’t work out. So it’s a life lesson.”

A new defensive coordinator and new secondary coaches in Jon Hoke and Maxie may mean things work out for Banks and Verner in Tampa Bay after all.